The era of “randomly” scheduled bilateral cricket series needs to end, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has said, arguing that international cricket requires greater context, competition and purpose to remain sustainable.
Gupta, who joined the International Cricket Council in July last year after heading sports at JioStar, also defended the future of ODI cricket, saying the 50-over format can continue to prosper if it remains closely connected to the men's and women's ICC World Cups.
Both Test and ODI cricket have faced increasing questions about their relevance as T20 cricket and franchise leagues continue to occupy a larger share of the global cricket calendar.
Bilateral cricket needs greater context
Gupta said international cricket could not rely on series being arranged without a broader purpose.
“The era of randomly scheduled bilateral series has to come to an end,” he told PTI, stressing that countries need “context, culture, competition and competitiveness” to justify the significant financial and other resources required to sustain the game.
He identified four factors that he believes drive fan attention and connection with cricket: context, culture, competition and competitiveness. According to Gupta, focusing on these areas could allow ODI cricket not only to survive but also to grow.
Although bilateral cricket is organised by individual member boards rather than the ICC, the governing body oversees global competitions such as the World Cups and World Test Championship.
Gupta backs the future of ODI cricket
Gupta said there remains an important role for ODI cricket within the international game.
He argued that its strongest connection is with the men's and women's World Cups, adding that the format's purpose and evolution need to be clearly defined, including consideration of expanding participation.
The 50-over format has faced pressure from the rapid growth of T20 cricket, but Gupta believes it can retain its place if it has a clear identity within the international calendar.
'If you're not growing, you're dying'
Gupta said cricket cannot simply try to preserve the status quo as audiences and attention patterns change.
“Our ambition has to be growth,” he said, warning that in a world where populations are expanding, attention is becoming increasingly fragmented and fan affiliation is harder to maintain, failing to grow could ultimately lead to decline.
He cited Wimbledon and The Masters as examples of established sporting properties that have retained their prestige while adapting to changing audiences.
Gupta acknowledged the unique value of Test cricket, including its heritage, prestige and legacy, but said those qualities must continue to be made relevant to modern audiences.
Test cricket needs a stronger experience
According to Gupta, Test cricket must focus more heavily on the overall experience offered to fans.
He pointed to the World Test Championship as an example of how the format can gain greater context. The championship final has developed into a significant event despite not even existing seven years ago.
However, Gupta said discussions about Test cricket cannot focus exclusively on its tradition while ignoring its economics. He argued that the commercial challenges facing the format need to be considered alongside its cultural and historical importance.
While T20 cricket remains the ICC's primary vehicle for global growth, Gupta said that should not come at the expense of efforts to increase engagement with ODIs and Tests.
Better scheduling could help Test cricket
Gupta also called for more effective scheduling of Test matches, particularly outside India, England and Australia, which remain the strongest commercial markets for the format.
He said Test matches in other countries can have significant fan value but argued that member boards need greater opportunities to create matches that become major events for local audiences.
Simply changing the schedule, however, will not be enough.
Gupta said Test cricket also needs a stronger World Test Championship narrative, better positioning and marketing, competitive contests, suitable playing conditions and matches capable of delivering a compelling experience for spectators.
The broader ICC approach, he suggested, is to give each international format a clearer purpose while ensuring the different versions of the game complement rather than undermine one another.
