The International Cricket Council (ICC) is all set to give clearance to four-day Tests for smaller countries in the 2027-29 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. India, Australia and England can, however, continue to play five-day matches. The decision to reduce matches by one day is aimed at enabling smaller countries to play more Test matches and longer series.

A report in a leading UK daily said that during last week’s discussions at the WTC final at Lord’s, ICC chairman Jay Shah is learnt to have expressed his support for four-day Tests for the 2027-29 WTC cycle. England, Australia and India can, however, schedule five-Test series of five-day matches for the Ashes, Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the rechristened Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

The ICC had sanctioned four-day Tests for bilateral contests for the first time in 2017. England and Zimbabwe played over four days at Trent Bridge last month after four-day Tests against Ireland in 2019 and 2023.

The report said many smaller countries are reluctant to host five-day Tests because they are a time-consuming and costly affair. But the shift to four-day cricket would ensure the completion of an entire three-Test series in less than three weeks. The playing hours in four-day Tests have been extended by stipulating a minimum of 98 overs a day instead of the 90 overs in regular Tests to make up for the shortfall.

The 2025-27 World Test Championship will, however, continue as per the traditional format of five-day matches. This new cycle begins on Tuesday with a two-Test series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Out of the 27 Test series to be played among nine countries in the 2025-27 cycle, 17 will be two-match series, apart from six series of three matches each. England, Australia and India will all be playing five-Test series against each other.