WTC: Test cricket’s winning formula

The World Test Championship (WTC) is the final piece in the puzzle that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been looking for, to unlock the potential of Test cricket in a tournament format. And it couldn’t have got a better advertisement with a thriller of a final that New Zealand won on Wednesday, beating India by eight wickets. This officially kicks off the second two-year cycle of the championship, giving every team an opportunity to start from scratch in their quest for a berth in the 2023 finals.

The tournament may still be a work in progress, especially after India’s captain Virat Kohli raised questions about playing a one-off Test, and not a full series, as the decider. On paper, playing a threematch final series across different neutral venues sounds like the ultimate test, one that is expected to be a proper evaluation of character and a justified process to validate a team’s ability to bounce back or be completely dominated. But there are logistical issues should there be a rethink. Finding a country willing to part with three of its venues for a series not featuring them may be difficult. Hopping countries for every Test is illogical too. But the bigger problem is time. ICC may find it difficult to schedule a threeTest summit clash.

For now though, ICC has finally come up with a tournament that gives all the Test-playing nations a context bigger than winning bilateral series. Some events will continue to be bigger draws in Test cricket. But Wednesday’s match has shown that the WTC format provides enough room for teams to display grit, talent, and resilience. And that is the true test of Test cricket.