The ICC had launched the World Test Championship last year that kick-started from the Ashes Series from August 1, 2019. The schedule of the tournament was set in a way that the finals would have been played at the Lord’s cricket ground on June 1, 2021. Now that the coronavirus has halted the sporting events across the globe and World Test Championship is one of them.
One of the ICC Test officials said that no decision has been taken that has affected the schedule of the inaugural Test Championship, however, the options are being explored that can be brought as an alternative if the schedule of the Test Championship faces any other hurdle.
“We will continue planning for the events as they are, but as you would expect we are undertaking a comprehensive business continuity and contingency planning exercise which will allow us to adapt to the rapidly evolving world in which we find ourselves. This includes exploring all options available to us based on a range of scenarios connected to the pandemic. No decisions have been taken at present,” the official said.
The BCCI reacted by saying it will need a comprehensive team effort from not just the ICC, but also all its members to ensure that the right step is taken in these troubled times.
“Everyone will need to rework their own internal issues first. Nothing can effectively be solved until everyone puts their heads together, i.e. all the boards. This pandemic will seriously test the ICC and its leadership especially given its string of decisions over the last 3-4 years,” the official said.
This development has taken place after the England Cricket Board made it clear that their series against the West Indies would be rescheduled keeping the impact of coronavirus into consideration. England team director Ashley Giles even said that the series against West Indies is not virtually possible in June. While Australia’s tour of Bangladesh, which included two Tests part of the Test Championship, has also been called off. England was scheduled to play 3 Tests against West Indies in June.
