ICC cricket committee set to debate four-day Test proposal… so who are the men and women on the panel?

The panel will sit down in Dubai at the end of March to discuss the possibility of four-day Tests, with several prominent current and former players having spoken out in recent days

The ICC Cricket Committee is set to meet in Dubai at the end of March to discuss four-day Test cricket.

They will debate the benefits and concerns around shortening the game’s longest format, as well as the extent to which they could be introduced.

The Cricket Committee will not be responsible for the final decision, however. Rather, the panel will make its recommendation, which will then be followed up on by the executive committee. If approval is given there, the governing body’s main board can then ratify any recommendation.

It is also important to note that four-day Tests have been discussed by the committee in the past; England and Ireland faced off at Lord’s in July in a game that, ultimately, lasted just three days, while Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2017.

While a handful of influential current and retired cricketers have backed the proposal, there has also been an outpouring of opposition, including comments from Indian superstars Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Cricket Australia and the ECB have both indicated their support of the widescale introduction of four-day Tests within the newly formed World Test Championship.

So, who sits on the Cricket Committee that will make – one way or another – a very significant recommendation?

Anil Kumble – chairman

The former India captain and head coach spoke earlier this week to explain that he could not offer his view in public ahead of the meeting, which he will chair. However, former teammate Tendulkar and current India skipper Kohli have both been forthright in their criticisms of the possible alteration to the format. “I mean, where do you end,” Kohli said of the topic. “Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing. So I don’t endorse that at all.”

Andrew Strauss – past player

The former England captain also chairs the ECB’s Cricket Committee. He has previously offered support for the concept of four-day Tests, admitting in 2017: “We can’t love Test cricket to death.” He added: “If we can get the playing conditions right, in the right circumstances, it might be a good thing in certain parts of the world. I am not necessarily saying it would happen in this country. We have to think about how that format remains relevant in an era when the white ball, and certainly Twenty20, is taking over.”

Mahela Jayawardene – past player

The former Sri Lanka batsman holds the same role as Strauss on the ICC panel. He has told PTI that he is against the idea. “We will discuss it in the meeting, and I don't know what will happen after that but my personal opinion is that it should remain five days,” he said. “I would not want any change.”

^{Mickey Arthur has stated that he is against four-day Tests}

Rahul Dravid – representative of current players

The great India batsman currently heads up the country’s national academy and he recently spoke to argue that Indian cricket had to do more to keep Test cricket attractive in India. He described India’s day-night Test against Bangladesh as “not the only solution to rejuvenate Test cricket”, citing the challenges facing the longest format.

Tim May – representative of current players

The former Australia off-spinner is a former chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA). In 2015, he argued against introducing four-day Tests, highlighting his concern over the effect it would have on spin bowling. “Let me put my old spinner's cap on, I would hate it,” he said. “If you want to spell the death of spinners, you'd have a four-day track rather than a five-day track.” He added: “By going from five- to four-day cricket, that would increasingly lessen the role of the spinner in the game, and that's another consideration people who will discuss [this] need to think through before they decide their solid position on that matter.”

Mickey Arthur – full member team coach representative

The South African who is currently in charge of Sri Lanka, having previously coached Australia, Pakistan and South Africa, has told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that he is against any changes, but warned that the decision may ultimately come down to “commercial and financial considerations versus the actual game”. He said: “I'd be certainly arguing to maintain five-day Test cricket, without a doubt.”

David White – full member representative

White, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, has backed the potential move, citing the freedom that a shift to four-day Tests could bring to the international calendar. “One of challenges is the calendar is very contested with ICC events, the Test Championship and bilateral cricket,” he told Radio Sport. “Having four-day Test matches frees up the calendar a bit. If you could have a Test match on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday it's certainly makes it easier to plan.”

Richard Illingworth – umpires’ representative

The Englishman sits on the committee to offer an umpire’s perspective. Illingworth’s viewpoint might, therefore, focus on concentration difficulties on an extended day or, indeed, potential bad light problems if play is to begin earlier and finish later. He might also point to a need to speed up over-rates.

^{Rahul Dravid is a representative of current players on the committee}

Ranjan Madugalle – referees’ representative

Nobody has acted as a match referee in most Tests than the former Sri Lanka captain. He sits 91 games ahead of Chris Broad. Madugalle’s first assignment came in 1993, giving him some considerable experience of Test cricket’s development.

John Stephenson – MCC representative

The MCC’s head of cricket will be tasked putting forward the view of the Marylebone Cricket Club at the meeting. When Guy Lavender became its chief executive in 2017, he confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that the MCC’s stance remained in favour of five-day Tests. “The MCC’s view is that five-day Tests from a cricketing perspective make sense,” he stated. He did add, however, his awareness of the commercial perspective at play.

Kyle Coetzer – associate representative

The Scotland captain sits on the committee to represent the global game beyond the 12 full members. It is among these nations, whose boards are less wealthy, that the argument around four-day Tests might carry the greatest weight. Five-day games are expensive, with money often wasted on preparations for fifth days that often do not take place. A schedule that would see Tests begin on Thursdays and end on Sundays would bring order to the calendar and ease the pressures on smaller cricketing nations.

Shaun Pollock – media representative

The former South Africa seamer was part of the commentary team during England’s second Test victory over the Proteas at Newlands. Mike Atherton made a point of declaring the game’s thrilling conclusion “a glorious advert for the five-day game” as he sat behind his microphone, while others passed comment on how such a conclusion would not have been possible in a four-day game. Whether or not that is a fair statement is a different question.

Belinda Clark – women’s representative

The former Australia great has an intriguing place in this meeting. The women’s game, of course, already features four-day Tests, though they are something of a rarity on the international calendar. The last non-Ashes clash took place in 2014 between India and South Africa. Matches consist of 100 overs per day.

^{New Zealand Cricket CEO David White says he is open to the suggestion}

David Kendix – statistician

The Englishman is a statistician and is an actuary by profession. He is also Middlesex’s treasurer.

Shashank Manohar – ICC chairman (ex officio)

In 2019, the ICC chairman declared that Test cricket was “dying”. “We are trying to see whether Test Championship can generate interest,” he said. “Because Test cricket is actually dying to be honest. So, to improve the situation, we are trying ways and means.” The ICC has reportedly already been investigating the possibility of making four-day Tests mandatory in the World Test Championship.

Manu Sawhney – ICC chief executive (ex officio)

Sawhney was appointed as the ICC’s chief executive in April, taking over before the World Cup. He held meetings with Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings after the national boards of Australia, India and England all stated their concerns at plans for a further major event in the next international cycle.

Clare Connor - Women's Committee chair

As per Clark, Connor's position and perspective here will be interesting. Also the managing director of women's cricket at the ECB, who have spoken in support of four-day Tests, she will be able to speak with experience of having played four-day Tests - she played 16 during her career.  

Clive Hitchcock – committee secretary

Clive Hitchcock is the senior cricket operations manager at the ICC.