England could trim future Test tours to Sri Lanka to a single match under proposed changes to the international cricket calendar, according to a report by The Guardian carried by Newswire.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is weighing a revised approach for the next Future Tours Programme (FTP), the report said, with plans to host more five-Test series at home while limiting some overseas tours to one-off Tests. Future England visits to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh could comprise a single Test combined with white-ball fixtures, which are considered more commercially viable for host boards.
The proposal is linked to planned reforms to the International Cricket Council’s World Test Championship (WTC), which is expected to expand to all 12 Test-playing nations. Under the format being discussed, one-off Tests would count for WTC points for the first time. The current cycle requires a minimum two-Test series for championship status.
The Guardian reported that the ECB is supporting the one-Test model, arguing it would create more opportunities for smaller cricketing nations while protecting the longest format overall. England is also looking to increase its number of five-Test home series against major teams such as South Africa and Pakistan.
The ICC board is expected to discuss the WTC reforms later this month, the report said.
For Sri Lanka, the change — if adopted — would have material commercial and competitive implications. Test tours by England historically draw the largest gate revenues for Sri Lanka Cricket and the deepest broadcast packages, and a reduced footprint could narrow the country’s exposure to top-tier red-ball opposition just as the interim committee charged with addressing the national side’s Test drought attempts to rebuild the format. Sri Lanka recently slipped to seventh in the ICC men’s Test rankings after Pakistan’s rise.
Source: Newswire (citing The Guardian).
