ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta calls for end to random bilateral scheduling, Test-ODI revamp

The International Cricket Council (ICC) wants cricket’s traditional formats to evolve as the sport grapples with the rapid expansion of T20 leagues, with CEO Sanjog Gupta saying the era of “randomly” scheduled bilateral series must end and calling for greater context around Tests and ODIs, reported PTI.

Gupta, who joined the ICC in July last year after serving as head of sports at JioStar, said bilateral cricket can no longer rely on a conventional calendar without a clear narrative or commercial rationale.

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"The era of randomly scheduled bilateral series has to come to an end, because countries will not be able to sustain cricket without context, culture, competition and competitiveness, which require significant investment of resources, both financial and non-financial," Gupta said.

He argued that the four elements of context, culture, competition and competitiveness should remain central to how cricket is structured, while insisting that one-day cricket still has a future.

"It's important to stay focused on the four levers which drive attention and affiliation -- context, culture, competition and competitiveness -- and ODIs can continue not just to survive, but thrive.

"There is a place for the format in the product portfolio, which is inextricably linked to men's and women's ICC Cricket World Cups. We need to look at what we want the format to stand for and how we want it to evolve, including the expanse of participation," he noted.

Bilateral series are arranged by individual member boards, with the ICC responsible for global events such as the World Cups and World Test Championship. The boards also retain the sponsorship and media rights associated with their bilateral engagements.

The debate over the sustainability of Test cricket has intensified as India, England and Australia remain the only three nations with the financial strength to consistently support the longest format, while other full members face challenges in monetising Tests.

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ODIs, meanwhile, have also come under pressure from the growth of T20 cricket, which has become the sport's main vehicle for expanding its global audience.

‘If you are not growing, you are dying’

Gupta said cricket could draw lessons from established events in other sports, including Wimbledon in tennis and The Masters in golf, by using their heritage while continuing to evolve with changing audience expectations.

"Our ambition has to be growth; our ambition should never be to maintain the status quo. Because in this world, where population is growing, attention is getting disaggregated and affiliation is hard to sustain, if you're not growing, you're dying," he warned.

While acknowledging the enduring appeal of Test cricket, Gupta said its heritage alone cannot guarantee its long-term relevance.

"There is obviously value in high-quality Test cricket. There is prestige, legacy and a sense of heritage associated with it, but if prestige, legacy and heritage are not made relevant and amplified, then the product can become burdensome.

"Wimbledon and The Masters are examples of prestige events looking at ways to reinvent themselves and remain relevant by using their premium status to their advantage," he said.

For Test cricket, Gupta said the focus should be on creating an experience that resonates with younger and newer audiences.

"We have to focus on the experience of Test cricket and ensure that fans engaging with it are being served a viable and appealing product," he said.

Gupta also pointed to the World Test Championship as an example of how additional context can strengthen the format. At the same time, he said the commercial sustainability of Tests cannot be separated from discussions around their prestige and legacy.

"Every time there is conversation around the commercials of Test cricket, the passion, pride and legacy tend to override the conversation around the economics. I don't think the answer is necessarily binary, and I don't think it's a question solely for Test cricket to answer but one which must be asked of all our products across formats and events.

"Our primary tool of global growth is T20 cricket, but that does not mean we don't focus on growing the value or engagement around ODIs or Test cricket. The World Test Championship Final is now an event of significance and one that didn't even exist seven years ago," he said.

For ODIs, there have been discussions within the ICC about creating a dedicated window for the 50-over format in the lead-up to the World Cup, PTI understands.

Gupta also highlighted the need to improve the scheduling and presentation of Test cricket outside the three financially strongest cricketing nations.

"We will continue to invest in growing the status, significance and spectacle associated with cricket's marquee events. Test matches in certain countries are of immense fan value, but can we focus more on providing Members with opportunities to build occasions of appointment and significance in Test cricket?

He said Test cricket needs to be scheduled more strategically and supported with stronger marketing to build sustained interest among fans.

"That has to be by virtue of the World Test Championship having more meaning and a continuing narrative, by virtue of Test cricket being scheduled optimally, by virtue of Tests receiving adequate positioning and marketing support, by virtue of the competitive standards of the two teams and playing conditions being offered, and fans being promised cricket which is going to be compelling," he said.

With inputs from PTI