(SportsMax) While arguing that news of a pending proposal to introduce a two-tier Test cricket system could merely be a rumour, Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dr. Kishore Shallow pointed out that any decision made at the International Cricket Council (ICC) level must align with the best interests of West Indies cricket and the sport globally.
Shallow’s comments follow reports of an upcoming meeting between ICC Chairman Jay Shah and representatives from Australia, India, and England to discuss the possibility of splitting the 12 full members into two tiers based on rankings. The reports also suggest a potential revamp of the nine-team World Test Championship.
If implemented, the proposed changes could see the West Indies, who celebrate their 100th anniversary as a Test-playing nation in 2028, relegated to a B-tier.
However, Shallow, who has served as a CWI director since 2017 and with the ICC for the past two years, clarified that the two-tier Test system has not been formally discussed at either organization during his tenure.
“This could easily be a rumour. From my position, it has not been discussed. All I have seen is what you have seen in the media,” Shallow stated during an appearance on the Mason and Guest show on Tuesday.
“It’s interesting; it’s a sensitive issue because, based on my research that I have done, that matter has been on the table since 2004 or thereabouts, when several individuals were looking at ways to keep Test cricket interesting. That in itself shows how long people have been considering Test cricket to be on the decline,” he added.
Still, Shallow refrained from offering a definitive stance on the matter, as he reiterated that no formal proposal has been presented at the ICC level. But, in the same breath, he stressed the need for any decision to be thoroughly examined, including its practicality, funding mechanisms, and overall impact on the sport.
“There hasn’t been a proposal, and I quote proposal loosely, on the table since I have been a director of the ICC for two years now, so I can state that it has not been on the agenda of the ICC,” he revealed.
“Whatever decision, I suppose at the ICC level, it must be in alignment with what is best for West Indies cricket, and cricket by extension across the globe. That is the position I hold,” Shallow declared.
Meanwhile, CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe also withheld judgment, as he too highlighted the need for more details about the proposal, including its financial framework and whether it would involve a promotion and relegation system.
“It is difficult to have a position on it without knowing the actual framework and the dynamics; the financial framework that will go along with it as well as if there will be a relegation and promotion system,” Bascombe said.
He noted the contrasting opinions from cricket legends such as Sir Clive Lloyd and Michael Holding on the issue but maintained that he would wait for a detailed framework before forming a position.
“There are still a lot of things that are not clear to me, and until I have that information, I will want to reserve my comments. I am keen to see what the details are before I can really form an opinion on it,” Bascombe stressed.