What does the world test championship need to do to compete with the T20 format?

The World Test Championship is essential for the growth of the Test game. Without a format to fight back, cricket is in danger of becoming one-sided, especially among newer audiences. So, it's not surprising that the series is now part of the sports' calendar. New Zealand vs India was an excellent advertisement, too. The platform must build on the foundations if it's going to keep Test matches at the head of cricket, but how can this be achieved?

Concentrate on Inclusivity

The brilliant thing about an international tournament is that it can be hosted in any location in the world. Look at the way FIFA tried to push football's standing in the continent with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In 2022, Qatar, a nation that isn't well-known for its support of football, will be one of a handful of Middle Eastern destinations to hold the biggest sporting event in the world.

Cricket does the same thing, yet it tends to award the rights to places where the sport is already incredibly popular. The 2021 T20 World Cup, for instance, was supposed to be in India before it was moved to the UAE and Oman. In 2019, the 50-over World Cup was in England and Wales. Before that, it was in Australia and New Zealand. The inaugural final of the WTC wasn't any different since India and New Zealand played against one another in the UK.

However, the WTC can do it differently by focusing on the markets where there's potential for the sport to grow, such as the United States. After all, if the Test game has roots in these regions, it will have its long-term support. The good news is, it appears as if the ICC understands this and is moving to make it happen. According to ESPN, the USA is joining forces with the West Indies to co-host a cricket tournament. Encouraging the USA and others to do the same with Test matches will inevitably lead to increases in participation, whether it's TV consumption rates or playing numbers.

Prop Weak Areas of WTC

Although the WTC has strong features, it's undoubtedly weaker than its peers. That's partly down to the time that has elapsed. The WTC hasn't been around as long as ODI World Cups. Furthermore, the competition hasn't invested in areas that are essential to the experience. A prime example is an atmosphere at Test Matches compared to 50-over or T20 fixtures. When you imagine the IPL, the stadiums are at capacity and the atmosphere is almost palpable. Tests sometimes look as if they are dust bowls, particularly when Bangladesh or Zimbabwe take the field.

Also, the contest between the bat and the ball is stronger during ODIs and T20s due to fielding restrictions. As the game goes on, it becomes harder to score runs as easily because more fielders are patrolling the boundary edges. Test matches aren't the same as the conditions are similar throughout the five days. Therefore, if there is no swing or seam movement, the bat will win. Once this happens, the drama disappears and it's harder to engage audiences. Tweaking the rules mid-match, like in ODIs, could be a solution to the issue.

The final way to add excitement is to consider the entertainment factor. As soon as you analyse gambling markets, it's obvious that there are more outright markets available for T20 and ODI games. This Betway review highlights that the operator has 131 markets for IPL and Pakistan Super League matches, while there was only 63 for the fourth Test between India vs England. That's almost 50% less. However, if the number of markets is equal across the board, it gives people reasons to tune in and watch Tests over five days.

Embrace the T20 Format

Lastly, the WTC shouldn't underestimate the impact of the T20 platform on the Test game's resurgence. You can see this through several factors, from the higher run rates to the incredible fielding and expansive shot selection. These features weren't apparent in the 90s and early 2000s.

The Test format is only becoming more exciting thanks to the growth of the T20 platform, and this needs to continue to ensure higher engagement levels. Ben Stokes' century against Australia in the 2019 Ashes is a fantastic case study. As well as scoring quickly to take the game away from the Aussies, he also dominated with high-risk shots, such as his reverse sweep for six. That run chase wouldn't have occurred pre-2008.

Test match advocates may feel as if the two are competitors, but the reality is very different. With each other, both platforms will flourish.

The WTC has a long way to go to secure the wellbeing of cricket's most cherished format. However, the future appears bright.