England's men's cricket team will face an imbalanced Test schedule in the upcoming Future Tours Programme (FTP), as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) shifts toward hosting more five-match series while agreeing to play single Tests overseas. This change aligns with the International Cricket Council's (ICC) expansion of the World Test Championship (WTC) to include all 12 Test-playing nations, with Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan joining a single division for the first time.
More Home Tests, Fewer Away
The ECB has abandoned the principle of reciprocal home and away series in the next WTC cycle, which begins with the home Ashes series next summer. Talks have already been held with South Africa and Pakistan about touring England for five Tests for the first time in decades. However, future tours to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh may consist of a single Test, supplemented by white-ball matches that are more commercially viable for the host boards.
This approach reflects the ECB's internal research, which shows Test cricket is the most popular format in England across all age groups. The board aims to stage more extended series to complement those of Australia and India, who both tour for five Tests every four years.
One-Off Tests in the WTC
In a significant change, one-off Test matches will now be included in the WTC for the first time, whereas previously a two-Test series was required for championship status. This opens the door for England's first Test in Zimbabwe since 1996-97, though the ECB will not send a team to Afghanistan due to political concerns.
The ECB supports the one-Test series solution, arguing it gives smaller nations more opportunities while safeguarding the longest form of the game. Under the proposed WTC format, each of the 12 teams must play 12 matches against at least eight different opponents over a two-year period, with the top two meeting in the WTC final at Lord's until 2031.
Flexibility and Political Considerations
Each board retains considerable discretion over its fixtures, which is crucial for the ECB, as it will not sanction matches against Afghanistan outside global ICC events. ECB chair Richard Thompson has accused the Taliban regime of "gender apartheid" and "appalling oppression" of women and girls, rejecting calls from 160 cross-party MPs to withdraw from the Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan.
Similarly, India will not be required to play Pakistan in the expanded WTC unless both sides reach the final, which would take place on neutral territory. The ICC board is due to meet this month to discuss the working group's proposals, though one meeting has already been postponed due to the Middle East conflict.
Long-Term Planning
The ECB aims to finalize England's schedule until 2036 to provide long-term certainty before its next broadcast rights tender next year. The board has already offered South Africa a five-Test tour in 2032, with Pakistan as an alternative. However, the ECB will not insist on full Test tours overseas, acknowledging they are not viable in many markets.
