ICC to discuss four-day Test proposal in March despite growing criticism

Indore: The ICC’s cricket committee is set to discuss the four-day Test proposal in March despite growing criticism from the world’s leading players including India skipper Virat Kohli.

Former India captain Anil Kumble, who heads the cricket committee of the sport’s governing body, said the proposal will be discussed in the next round of the ICC meetings, to held in Dubai from March 27-31.

“Since I am part of the committee, I can’t tell what I am thinking about it (proposal) at the moment. We will discuss it in the meeting and let you know,” Kumble told PTI, adding that he is fine with past and current cricketers have expressed their views about four-day Tests.

The likes of Andrew Strauss, Rahul Dravid, Mahela Jayawardene, and Shaun Pollock are also on the cricket committee.

However, member boards from England and Australia are open to the idea while BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly has said that “it is too early” to talk about it.

The ICC wants to try out four-day Tests primarily to free up space in the crowded calendar and use that time for the commercially lucrative shorter formats.

It is not a new phenomenon. England and Ireland played a four-day Test last year. South Africa and Zimbabwe too played one in 2017.