Former World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke feels that the ICC World Test Championship is the similar category of ICC Cricket World Cup.
The world cricket has just moved out from the Cricket World Cup fever. England and Wales recently hosted the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from 30th May to 14th July, which England won in the end.
Now, the cricket world is going to experience the inaugural ICC World Test Championship. The top nine Test teams will participate in the 2019-21 ICC World Test Championship. Apart from Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe (currently suspended member), all other Full members will feature in this two-year-long tournament.
In the league stage format, each team will have to play six bilateral Test series against the six different teams. Out of these six series, three will be home series, and the other three will be away series. The Test series can be conducted with two to five matches along with a total of 120 points.
At the end of the league stage, the top two teams in the points table will qualify for the final. In June 2021, the top two teams will meet in the one-off Test final at Lord’s (London).
I think it’s great for Test cricket – Michael Clarke on ICC World Test Championship
Michael Clarke feels that the World Test Championship is great for Test cricket. While the world cricket considers the World Cup winners as the best team, Clarke feels that the Test Championship winners will get the same value.
Clarke recently said, “I think it’s great for Test cricket. The top two teams playing in something like the World Cup final at Lord’s in 12 months (24 months) time. It’s a little bit like the World Cup (in the way that) no matter where you are ranked in the ICC standings, the team that wins the World Cup is I think seen as the best team in the world. With Test cricket it will be the same, whoever wins the championship is the best team in the world.”
This Australian team is very talented
On last Monday (29th July), the ICC officially launched the ICC World Test Championship. This tournament will begin with the Ashes 2019.
The 2019 CWC winners England will now host the Ashes 2019. England and the defending champions Australia will play the five-match Test series from 1st August to 16th September 2019.
Clarke is very hopeful of Australia’s success in the upcoming Ashes 2019 as he feels that this Australian side is very talented. He has claimed that this Australian side is powerful after the return of some top-class players. Talking about this, Clarke named Josh Hazlewood, Steven Smith, Cameron Bancroft, David Warner and James Pattinson.
The former Australian captain said, “This Australian team is very talented. (Josh) Hazlewood’s back in the squad, Warner, Smith and Bancroft are back. James Pattinson is fit again and he is the squad. It will be interesting to see what XI they will pick.”
England and Australia will play the first Test of the Ashes 2019 in Edgbaston (Birmingham).