ICC chairman Greg Barclay to scrap World Test Championship, champion women's game?

Newly-elected ICC chairman Greg Barclay will succeed India's Shashank Mahar as second independent chairman of cricket's highest governing body. New Zealander will inherit a cricket scene facing unprecedented challenges in face of COVID-19 pandemic. While bilateral series have begun in full flow all around globe, many boards have had to massively cut jobs and salaries and face growing concerns over lack of TV rights and revenue without audiences. 

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Will Greg Barclay's election spell end of ICC World Test Championship?

Taking over helm of ICC in this chaotic period, new ICC chairman Greg Barclay said to BT Sport that ICC World Test Championship may t have lived up to its initial hype. Talking about wher he thought World Test champions had served its purpose, Barclay conceded that "From an idealist's point of view, probably it had a lot of merits but practically, I do disagree, I am t sure wher it has achieved what it intended to do". WTC was conceptualised with idea of redirecting some interest back towards Test cricket. 

He also talked about how pandemic worsened problems he believed already existed in format of tournament.  "Covid has probably highlighted its shortcomings of championship," Barclay said. ICC has been forced to rework WTC points system after pandemic shortened season considerably. top teams will w be decided on a percent-based system in order for championship finals to go on as per schedule, in 2021 at Lord's.

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Barclay suggested that once this season of WTC was over, he would like to take idea "back to drawing board" and "look at it in context of calendar and t put cricketers in a situation where it's a lot worse and t going to help us". He furr added that as much as he is a "purist" and wants to maintain "legacy" of Test cricket, "less and less countries are able to afford that arrangement and are able to play it". 

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Barclay vows to focus on Women's game

Ar burning issue that came up in Barclay's interview is role ICC would play in promoting women's cricket in upcoming years. chairman ackwledged great divide between men's and women's game - which has been relegated to secondary status in hubbub of pandemic.

He also talked about lack of resources available to women's teams from developing nations, saying “It’s t so much around top three or four performing nations that are making good strides around women’s cricket. next group of countries out of blocks probably need some help and ICC has a role to help facilitate and help nudge that part of game along.”

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Im Credits: ICC website