The Board of Control for Cricket in India has dismissed the International Cricket Council’s call for a working group meeting to discuss the proposed World Test Championship, The Times of India reported.
The decision to reject the two-day meeting holds significance as it reiterates the Indian cricket board’s opposition to the ICC’s proposal suggesting changes to the Test calendar.
ICC’s proposed nine-plus-three structure will have a four-year Test cricket cycle with a cutoff date for qualification was scheduled to begin in 2019, the report stated.
“How can a nine-plus-three structure be proposed in the first place when the ICC Board is yet to ratify Ireland and Afghanistan’s full membership status?” an official was quoted as on condition of anonymity. “They (certain ICC board members) are just trying to test the waters and gauge the mood of members. In the process, they’re still thinking that a “weak” BCCI may not resist,” the official added.
The Indian board is hoping that it will have enough strength to counter the proposed policies of the governing body through a vote count during the ICC’s Chief Executive Meeting to be called for in April, the report said.
The BCCI had opposed the proposed two-tier Test structure in October last year. It was eventually scrapped. However a few members had suggested a Test championship structure as a forward. It eventually received a 7-2 favourable in principle vote in February, with only India and Sri Lanka voting against it.
ICC’s global broadcaster has also refused to offer the existing contractual value to the newly proposed tournaments, the report added.