Live Update: The twelve-team WTC is close to reality, says CA CEO Greenberg. “This whole reciprocal nature puts some countries at risk of failure,” says the CEO of Cricket Australia about the future of bilateral cricket. The three that matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are all smiling after dismissing Pat Cummins. The three that matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, all smiling after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 The smile of a champion – Mohammed Siraj took five wickets in a ten-ball game, India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup Final, Colombo, September 17, 2023 Alyssa Healy poses with the trophy after Australia the Ashes, England v Australia, 3rd ODI, Women’s Ashes, Taunton, July 18, 2023 The standards by which Harmanpreet Kaur was ultimately judged are a reflection of what she helped to she as ctain. Harmanpreet Kaur leaves the field after India’s big win against Netherlands, Women India vs Netherlands Women, T20 World Cup 2026, Leeds, June 17, 2026 Mandhana, who has been with the team since 2013, has already led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs. Smriti Mandhana watches from the pitch, India vs South Africa, Women’s World Cup Final, Navi Mumbai, November 2, 2025 Ind vs Zim – Niki Prasad, Jintimani Kalita and Nandani Sharma, the new faces of the white-ball teams led by Smriti Mandhana. Shafali Verma has been pointed vice-president of the T20I team while Dee Sharma will assume the role in the ODI squad for the matches against Zimbabwe. India U-19 player Niki Prasad is everything. smiles, India vs South Africa, Women’s T20-U19 World Cup warm-ups, Malaysia, January 15, 2025 Harmanpreet Kaur led India to back-to-back gold medals in the Asian Games, India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asian Games final, Nisshin, September 22, 2026 Everyone thought he was a late attacker and occasional bowler.
West Indies – and India too – discovered in the first T20I that Naman Dhir is also a game-winning player. Naman Dhir took two important wickets on his debut, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026. Shreyas Iyer hit a 42-ball century to help India cross the finish line, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026. 2026 “We were at the end of the innings [Batting innings] a bit chaotic,” says Shai Hope about West Indies’ underperformance with the bat. Shai Hope celebrates his first T20I 50 against India, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026. Tanmay Baloda took eight wickets in the second innings for the Australian Under-19 team to set a target of just 11, which the Indian Under-19 team bowled out in just five balls without a break to convert to a different format, seemingly without any problems. Lakshya Raichandani stormed into the second innings, Sri Lanka U19 vs India U19, 2nd Youth Test, Day 3, Colombo, July 22, 2026. Rajat Patidar scored a valiant fifty in India A’s chase of 275, but in the first unofficial ODI they slipped to a 125-run defeat. Nathan McSweeney scores offside, India A vs Australia A, 1st One Day, Puducherry, October 6, 2026. Priyansh Arya is in the India A squad to face the visiting team Australia A over three days and is confident that his risk-reward play will get him the results. Priyansh Arya plays on the field, Sri Lanka A vs India A, Match 1, One-day tri-series, Dambulla, June 9, 2026 Scott will take part in the one-day series against India A following his successes in the Big Bash League and the recent unofficial Test series in Puducherry. After years of setbacks and self-imposed pressure, a new perspective has given Renshaw the balance to make an unexpected international comeback across three formats. Sandpergate was bittersweet but also a dream come true The Australian team during the national anthems, South Africa v Australia, 4th Test, Johannesburg, Day 1, March 30, 2018 Cameron Green reacts after taking a hit while batting, South Africa v Australia, 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom, September 30, 2026 The ghosts of Sandpergate still hover over the rivals as Australia return to the Test tour for the first time since 2018 Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins, both teams, waiting to leave with their players, Australia vs South Africa, World Test Championship Final, Lord’s, June 11, 2025 Varun Chakravarthy is also back for India after missing the Asian Games while Ravi Bishnoi was absent. Bhuvneshwar Kumar secured Mumbai Indians’ opening match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians, IPL, Raipur, May 10, 2026. Dhruv Jurel has been pointed as the team leader while Rishabh Pant has been selected but his participation depends on his fitness. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul had a job to do after being on the field for almost two days, India vs South Africa, 2nd Test, Guwahati, Day 2, November 23, 2025. Rishabh Pant returns to Delhi Citals from Lucknow Super Giants and Yuvraj Singh wants to join the franchise as Todd Greenberg, batting coach and general manager of Cricket Australia (CA), suggested a Test match (WTC) with 12 teams to the World Cup is about to become a reality, although he reiterated his belief that the long-term future of the format will depend on fewer nations being involved. The various bodies and the ICC are currently in the final stages of developing the next Future Tours Program (FTP), with parallel discussions surrounding the World Test Championship (WTC). Since its inceon in 2019, the WTC has consisted of nine teams competing in six Test series (three home and three away) over two years in the race for the final.
These series will comprise at least two games, but the future model that would come into force for the 2029-31 WTC could allow for one-off Tests to support Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan as hosts. A decision is expected at ICC meetings in Bali next month. Asked whether the 12-team model could be proved, Greenberg said: “I think that will hpen in the next few years.”
“I think for the next edition [of the WTC] I can understand why there is that number because they want to give every Test country the opportunity,” he told reporters in Durban ahead of Australia’s opening game against South Africa. “Ultimately, countries themselves have to make some difficult decisions because if ICC revenues don’t continue to come in at the levels we have enjoyed, or if they are unable to generate their own FTP contracts, then ultimately every company that is ours is the same and you can’t continue to pay out more than you earn each year.” World cricket takes place here in some areas. » Greenberg has previously said the number of testing nations could decline.
He has never singled out specific countries, but recently Cricket West Indies chief executive Chris Dehring termed their recent home season, which included visits by Sri Lanka and Pakistan for Tests (New Zealand also toured for white-ball matches), as ” like death, destruction and Armageddon ” because of the lack of income from broadcast rights. “It wasn’t very popular when I said that [about Test cricket], but I still say it’s a statement of fact that over time it’s becoming increasingly difficult for countries to play Test cricket because it’s very expensive,” Greenberg said. “When I say it’s expensive, don’t take it to mean it’s about hosting Test matches.
It is the ability to invest in your system to create a structure for red-ball cricketers. You can’t magically find 11 players to play Test cricket. “There could be a four-year cycle where we play a little less ODIs, more towards a World Cup cycle and maybe less in subsequent years.
However, I don’t think this has stopped in recent years. This could be a kind of top-down system between T20 cricket and ODI cricket. “I think there is a world where there will be member countries that don’t play Test cricket, or they may have to play more Test cricket away than at home in order to keep Test cricket [alive] in their country and continue to play this format.” I think we need to think about it differently.
This whole reciprocal nature could bankrupt some countries.” Australia is keen to face South Africa in a five-Test series in the future, although scheduling issues could prove a stumbling block. Besides England and India, CA is looking for another opponent who could justify longer series. “We would love to host South Africa for a five-Test series,” Greenberg said.
“[But] there is a real challenge between our organizations because they play at a similar time of year. I can understand that. That would be like asking if we can come and play in South Africa in December and January.
You know our answer would be “No, we can’t” because we protect our own windows. “So that’s why it’s difficult. But we are constantly in conversation with them.
I’ll have conversations while I’m here with them. I think South Africa is a very strong test country despite its commercial and financial challenges. We want them to continue playing Test cricket.
We would be hpy to welcome you.” From a business perspective, Greenberg also pointed out that given the expat community in Australia, Pakistan is an ideal candidate for longer series. They will tour Australia for three Tests in December 2027, after which Sri Lanka will move to the BBL in February 2028, with CA having blocked January after the Sydney Test, except in the years the team visits India. Jasprit Bumrah congratulates Temba Bavuma after South Africa’s 1-0 win, India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Kolkata, Day 3, November 16, 2025. Regarding ODI cricket, last week at the ICC workshop in Dubai, there were talks about multilateral tournaments to give more context to the ODIs.
One of the ideas from one member was that of an Intercontinental Cup in which the best continental teams would compete against each other. Greenberg agreed with the ICC’s general stance that the format needed to be more compromised outside of the quadrennial World Cup, but there were parent doubts about how many new tournaments could be added to the calendar. “The challenge is to achieve this while ensuring that the commercial returns embedded in your FTP agreements are maintained,” he said.
“I think we still have a lot to do on that. There could be a four-year cycle where we play a little less ODIs, more towards a World Cup cycle and maybe less in subsequent years. However, I don’t think this has stopped in recent years.
It could be some sort of top-down system between T20 and ODI cricket. “Everyone in the high-performance sector tells me how important ODI cricket is in developing players on the talent pathway. And everyone at the ICC level tells me how fundamentally important the ODI World Cup is to the bottom line of world cricket.
These things are really important. If you anchor these two principles, then you just have to find ways to make these games meaningful. “Australia’s upcoming home FTP for 2027-31 in Test cricket is almost certain. After Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2027-28, India will visit in 2028-29 and England in 2029-30.
Only local opponents for 2030-31 have yet to be confirmed. ‘All this reciprocity risks ruining some countries,’ says Cricket Australia CEO on future of bilateral cricket:1557378+ Interview – Todd Greenberg, CEO of Cricket Australia, on future of WTC and bilateral cricket | “This whole reciprocal nature could lead to some countries failing,” Cricket Australia CEO says of the future of bilateral cricket. “All this reciprocity could bankrupt some countries,” says the CEO of Cricket Australia about the future of bilateral cricket. Todd Greenberg: “Ultimately, countries have to make difficult decisions themselves.” To
