ICC Committee will recommend Test Championship for future of international cricket

The Cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed full support for the implementing a Test cricket competition in a meeting held on May 23 and 14 in London, deeming that it was vital to the future of international cricket.

The ICC for quite some time was trying to introduce Test Championship, which can see teams take part in the two-tier system. The Committee, chaired by India head coach Anil Kumble, was also supportive of cricket being involved in the Olympic Games. The committee also wants to implement the use DRS of in all T20 internationals.

Umpires should enjoy the power to send off players in case of serious misconduct 

Another recommendation asked that team should not lose a review when the umpire sends back an lbw review as his call. But if that is adopted, the 80-over top-up of reviews in the longest format of the would be eliminated.

The Cricket Committee also recommended that the umpires enjoy the power to send players off from the field for serious incidents of player misconduct, like violence on the field. Quite a few instances of misconduct have been reported in recent times, especially the domestic tournaments, and that, the committee feels, needs to be stopped.

Restrictions to be put on bat dimensions 

Other major changes were the restriction on bat dimensions, and that a batsman can make his ground when a bat bounces after grounding behind the crease by a diving batsman. The recommendations will be put ahead of the ICC for the final approval. If approved, they will come into effect from 1 October and will have to be followed in all domestic and international games.

“We have had a wonderful couple of days discussing cricket issues and there are a number of highlights. The first is around the structure of international cricket and the Committee unanimously recommended that context in the international game is paramount and we welcome the new structure,” said an ICC spokesperson.