'It is difficult to groom youngsters': Ricky Ponting wants ICC to save Test cricket

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has opened up on the dire state of Test cricket in countries other than top rankers like India, England, and Australia. Ponting appeared for a conversation with Mayanti Langar at a media event, organized ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final between Indian and Australia. The former Aussie skipper pointed out the issues with payment systems as a major reason behind the decreasing influx of youngsters in the red-ball format.

“That question I think has a different answer in different countries. I think it is becoming increasingly difficult to groom youngsters in the Caribbean for instance. They don’t want to chase the dream of playing Test cricket for obvious reasons. Their payment system in the Caribbean to play for their country, compared to what some of their players can earn to play domestic cups around the world it just doesn’t match up,” Ricky Ponting said while answering a question by Republic World.

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“Sri Lanka would be the same, and Bangladesh would be the same. Australia, England, and India have no problem. You are really getting paid well to play Test cricket for your country and that’s why so many youngsters in those countries still aspire to play the Test match game,” he added. 

"Individuals aspire to wear that baggy blue cap and play Test match cricket for India"

Adding on to the issue, Ponting suggested ICC has a significant role in trying to make the payment systems even across Test match cricket. The former Aussie skipper felt this would certainly attract more youngsters to become a Test match player. “There is a role to play for the ICC here in trying to spread out and make the payments a bit more even across international Test match cricket. To attract these different players to wanna play for their countries. That is being spoken about at a highly level at the ICC to help that.  I think in India, from what the feeling that I get that most of these young individuals aspire to wear that baggy blue cap and play Test match cricket for India,” he said.

“I know in Australia, the young kids in Australia still definitely want to wear the baggy green cap and play Test cricket for their country. But other countries are not quite the same,” Ponting further explained. However, recent media reports claimed that India is in line to receive around 40% of ICC’s USD 600 million annual earning for the 2024-27 cycle.

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As reported earlier, from next year onwards, the BCCI could claim around 40% of the ICC's net surplus earnings. As per the new proposed model for the 2024-27 cycle, the BCCI might receive approximately US$ 230 million each year, which accounts for 38.5% of ICC's total annual earnings of US$ 600 million, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

International cricket is mostly controlled by three big players which include the likes of the BCCI, ECB (English and Wales Cricket Board), and CA (Cricket Australia). Be it the financial model,  Men’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), or scheduling of major ICC events, these three cricket boards always have a massive say in whatever the International Cricket Council rolls out. The BCCI is already getting 38.5% of ICC's annual income and this now leaves a lesser share for ECB and CA.

 As per the same report of ESPNcricinfo, the English Cricket Board could get around US$ 41.33 million (6.89%) and Cricket Australia could earn US$ 37.53 million (6.25%) from ICC's total earnings during the 2024-27 cycle. As per the proposed financial model, ICC's full members are set to receive US$ 532.84 million (88.81%) and associate members will receive US$ 67.16 million (11.19%).