World Test Championship: 'Something needs to be done,' AB de Villiers proposes change to WTC format

South Africa beat Australia to win the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final. (AP)
Former South Africa cricket captain
AB de Villiers
has called for changes to the World Test Championship (WTC) format, as the 2025-2027 cycle began on Tuesday with Bangladesh taking on Sri Lanka.
His comments come after South Africa's victory over Australia in the 2023-2025 WTC final at Lord's, with the new cycle starting just five days after the conclusion of the previous one.
The WTC format has faced criticism during the previous cycle, particularly regarding South Africa's qualification for the final. Questions were raised about the fairness of the points system and scheduling, with critics highlighting disparities in the number of matches played and the strength of opposition faced by different teams.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
"[This moment] won't be lost. But yes, to a certain extent, something needs to be done. I saw the schedule that came out for the next cycle of the WTC and there is an improvement, but I still feel there's work that needs to be done there to just to get it as consistent as possible and as fair as possible for all for all Test-playing nations," de Villiers told
BBC Sport
.
'South Africa kept fighting, deserved champions': Pat Cummins
De Villiers has proposed extending the WTC cycle to four years, allowing for a more comprehensive competition structure where all participating nations can face each other.
"You want to get to that final feeling like you've played against all these nations. Maybe a four-year cycle would be nice. We've done that in the past with one-day internationals, so why not in Test cricket? It would make sense and it would give the organisers just so much more time to get a really fair, well-balanced system out there," he stated.
The upcoming 2025-2027 WTC cycle began with Sri Lanka hosting Bangladesh in a two-match series and will continue with India taking on England in a five-match series.
The scheduling of the new cycle has drawn attention, as it begins almost immediately after the conclusion of the previous final, leaving minimal transition time between the two periods.
De Villiers, who witnessed South Africa's historic WTC victory at Lord's, expressed confidence in the lasting impact of this achievement on South African cricket.
"It's a long time until our next Test match, but there's no doubt it won't be forgotten. I've absolutely no doubt the Proteas have sort of stirred the emotions of the South African cricketing fans and they will patiently wait for that next encounter," he remarked.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

First Post

19 minutes ago

• First Post

Gill, Jaiswal slam tons at Headingley as Indian batters dominate opening day of first Test against England

Shubman Gill (127 not out) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) headlined a dominant batting performance that saw India end Day 1 of the first Test against England on 359/3 after 85 overs. read more India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal embraces captain Shubman Gill after completing his century on Day 1 of the first Test against England in Headingley. AP Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill announced their readiness to carry India's batting into the post Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma era, striking marvellous hundreds to guide the visitors to a dominant 359 for three against a faltering England on the first day of the opening Test here on Friday. Gill (127 batting) and Jaiswal (101, 159b) shared a 129-run partnership for a determined third wicket alliance that carried India to 221 from a slightly wobbly 92 for two after KL Rahul (42) and debutant B Sai Sudharsan (0) were dismissed in quick succession. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rishabh Pant (65 batting) was keeping vigil with Gill at close. But there was an underlying significance to the centuries of Jaiswal and Gill other than giving India a head-start on the first day of the newly-minted five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. This Indian batting line-up is a tad thin on experience after the recent retirements of former skippers Kohli and Rohit, who played at the pivotal No. 4 and opening slots in their illustrious careers. Both Jaiswal and Gill are not newcomers to the unforgiving Test arena, but there has been this widespread anxiety over how the 'New Gen' India stars would step into the big shoes of their predecessors. But the portends are quite bright, if the day's innings by Jaiswal and Gill are anything to go by. Jaiswal was the first to reach the three-figure mark, the fifth in his flourishing career, off 144 balls and Gill reached his own landmark off 140 balls in the final passage of the day, heralding the start of a new era in Indian cricket. But the way they reached that point was entirely different. Jaiswal eschewed his natural flair as the first session offered its own share of assistance to the English bowlers in the shape of movement and carry. However, it was an altogether different matter that the home bowlers were not prudent enough to exploit that offering, and later the pitch eased up considerably. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But a flaccid track and a fangless England attack without James Anderson or Stuart Broad could not take the sheen out of the knocks of Jaiswal and Gill. It was not a typical Jaiswal innings where he simply flayed the bowlers around, but he showed admirable self-restraint, particularly outside the off-stump. The left-hander was dismissed in that channel a couple of times while playing for India A against the England Lions in the recent tour matches, but here the 23-year-old did not repeat his mistakes. Jaiswal began the morning session with a gorgeous drive through mid-off off pacer Chris Woakes, and he only grew in confidence from there. Perhaps, the only time he showed his aggressive mindset was when the left-hander carted pacer Josh Tongue for a six and then later hammered him for two consecutive fours to reach 99. It was Jaiswal's first innings in England, and he made it memorable, making a hundred soon after scampering for a single despite suffering some cramps on his hands. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He celebrated with gusto too — a roar and leap into the Headingley sky. England could not be blamed for imagining the Indian batter repeating his 712-run effort he managed last year during a home series. If Jaiswal's innings was more about adaptation, Gill's knock was all about following his natural batting doctrine, which has its fundamentals in timing and elegance. The right-hander played shots with minimum follow-through through on-side and with a flourish on the off-side. The 25-year-old's languid grace wowed the crowd when he essayed an off-drive off Chris Woakes and followed it up with a dreamy clip off the pads for a four as currently England's second most experienced Test bowler went for nearly five runs an over across the first two sessions. Once he went past the fifty off just 56 balls, Gill slowed down a touch, and nerves grew once he went past 90. There was a cheeky uppish shot through the gully of Tongue and a full-stretched dive saved him from a potentially close run out. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But Gill did not want to let go of the opportunity to score a hundred in his first innings as India's Test captain. He brought up that mark with a sumptuous boundary off Tongue, getting a standing ovation from everyone. Gill also joined a very exclusive club of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar and Virat Kohli as the Indian batters with hundreds on their captaincy debut. However, the blooming alliance ended when the giant-hearted England skipper Ben Stokes produced a peach to rattle the stumps of Jaiswal immediately after tea. Gill carried on nevertheless in the company of his adventurous deputy Pant, who in the process of making his 16th Test fifty completed 3000 runs in the format. Gill and Pant added 138 runs for the unfinished fourth wicket stand, and it has the potential to produce more sparkling moments on Day 2.

Time of India

28 minutes ago

• Time of India

IND vs ENG: Shubman's coronation at Headingley - Gill steps into Virat Kohli's shoes with ton at No 4

Shubman Gill (Getty Images) in Leeds: There was a rare outburst of emotion when Shubman Gill 's cover-drive raced through the practice pitches and thudded over the boundary cushions. The helmet was off in a flash; a wild swing of the arm followed as India's new Test skipper celebrated his hundred on his captaincy debut. It wasn't an unusual sight, and it certainly was an unusual occasion, so much so that it nearly made the youngster skip his usual bow-down celebration. The hug with his deputy Rishabh Pant was probably the cue to pose for the photographers as the 25-year-old made a very strong statement by scoring a gorgeous hundred at the Headingley Cricket Ground. From the moment he came out to bat, there was a sense of urgency in his approach. That urgency could have cost him his wicket when he went for a tight single off his sixth ball but had the rub of the green on his side, and Ollie Pope missing the stumps gave him an early reprieve. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! A testing little period followed as England attacked the right-hander's stumps and probed the corridor just outside the off-stump, but a tight approach and very little help from the surface meant he survived and then cashed in on the fuller length. The hosts kept searching for the glory ball when he walked out to bat, but even the change in length didn't extract a lot of purchase from the surface and turned out to be easy pickings for the Indian skipper, who put on a masterclass. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo A gorgeous masterclass. 'Wait until August to see what kind of style it's going to be': Shubman Gill ahead of Headingley Test The cover drives, straight drives, flicks, controlled pulls, and the trademark cuts in front of square were a treat to watch as he grew in confidence with every shot and looked much tighter as the innings progressed. After the initial urgency, there was a lot of calm in the way he approached the innings and put his head down to lay the foundation for a big one. First with Yashasvi Jaiswal and then with Rishabh Pant, Gill eased into his new No. 4 role and drove the side forward during a very crucial passage of play, as the match was very delicately poised when he came out to bat at the fall of debutant Sai Sudharsan's wicket. The sun had suddenly disappeared, and another wicket could have put India on the mat even after a terrific opening stand between KL Rahul and Jaiswal. How Shubman Gill prepared for the first Test vs England in Leeds | Exclusive from Nets Gill ensured there was no serious damage and literally walked the pre-match talk where he asserted that he wants to be the best batter in the series. Still early days in what is a very long series, but the Day 1 knock could have easily won a beauty pageant for the most good-looking hundred. There is something about Gill when he is in full flow, as not only does he make shot-making look ridiculously easy, he manages to be a visual delight while doing that. For Gill, the batter, who has been repeatedly questioned for his outings away from home, the hundred in Leeds will give the youngster immense satisfaction and a lot of self-belief before Gill - the captain - takes over. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here

Time of India

an hour ago

• Time of India

Ravi Shastri backs India's major share in ICC revenue

New Delhi [India]: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has weighed in on the International Cricket Council 's (ICC) event revenue distribution model for the 2024-27 cycle, strongly defending India's large share of the earnings. Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast, Shastri justified the allocation, asserting that India's dominant contribution to global cricket revenue makes the share fair. "I would want more (for India). Because half the money - most of the money - that's generated comes from India. So it's only fair that they get their share of... pound of flesh. And it's relative, you know, it's economies," said Shastri, as quoted from Wisden. According to the model, over 88% of the ICC's revenue is distributed among the 12 Full Member (Test-playing) nations. Of this, a significant 48.2% is split between the three traditional powerhouses of the game, India, England, and Australia. India alone receives 38.5% of the total share. Live Events "Tomorrow there might be another economy that's stronger. Money might come from there like it did in the seventies, eighties. And the chunk of the money went to... you know, went somewhere else," he added, as quoted from Wisden. "So I think it's only fair and it just shows in the revenues. When India travel, look at the television rights, look at the television, income that comes, for an India series. So it's only fair that they get whatever they're getting now, if not more," he noted. Shastri, who was recently honoured with a suite named after him at Lord's during the World Test Championship final, also voiced his disagreement with the idea of a centrally managed Test fund under the ICC, which has been proposed as a way to support the traditional format of the game globally. "Why do you need it? You know, from what is coming now and what the share is, there could be a certain amount of money kept for those countries to promote the game," Shastri said. He added, "There will be central support and it can come through this (fund), but you also have to question, why are cricket boards losing money hand over fist? Is the administration okay? Are they being handled properly? Is the game being run properly? And is there accountability? For me, that is the key. Is there accountability when there's money being paid?"