The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to introduce four-day Tests in the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The step has been taken to help smaller teams play more Tests and host longer series, as the board believes one less day will bring a significant change to the game. However, the ‘Big Three’ - India, Australia, and England - can continue to play the traditional five-day matches, according to a The Guardian report.

“During discussions last week at the WTC final at Lord’s, the ICC chair, Jay Shah, is understood to have expressed his support for four-day Tests, with a view to sanctioning them in time for the 2027–29 WTC cycle,” the report stated.

“England, Australia and India would still be permitted to schedule five-Test series of five-day matches for the Ashes, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the newly named Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the first iteration of which begins with the first Test between England and India at Headingley on Friday (June 17, 2025).”

The ICC first sanctioned four-day Tests for bilateral contests in 2017. Last month, England played Zimbabwe over four days at Trent Bridge for the first time since 2023. Earlier, they had played four-day Tests against Ireland in 2019 and 2023, respectively.

According to the report, "many smaller nations are reluctant to host Tests due to the time they take out of the schedule and the cost, but a move to four-day cricket would enable an entire three-Test series to be played in less than three weeks." "In four-day Tests, the playing hours are extended to mandate a minimum of 98 overs per day rather than 90 overs to mitigate the time lost," it said.

"South Africa’s threadbare itinerary despite being crowned world champions in the thrilling final against Australia at Lord’s last week has further highlighted the issue and focused minds on the need for change," it added.

The 2025–27 World Test Championship will, however, continue under the existing format of five-day matches. The WTC 2025–27 started on Tuesday with Sri Lanka hosting Bangladesh in a two-match Test series.

Of the 27 Test series to be played among the nine countries contesting the 2025–27 cycle, 17 will feature just two-match affairs, whereas six series will have three matches. England, Australia, and India will all play a five-Test series each against the other.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Sports, Cricket and around the world.