"Not moaning because England did not make it" - Michael Vaughan slams current WTC format, suggests big change

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has called for big changes to the World Test Championship (WTC) structure, claiming that it needs to be made easier to understand. Vaughan also clarified that he is not proposing it just because England didn't reach the final.

England are yet to make the WTC final in three attempts due to their inconsistent performances. The Englishmen had an opportunity to reach the maiden cycle's final but a 3-1 Test series loss in India foiled their plans.

In his column for The Telegraph, the 50-year-old stated that he agrees with Ben Stokes' assessment. He wrote:

"Test cricket is great but the World Test Championship is not. I like the concept but the execution is poor. Ben Stokes said this recently and got a lot of abuse, but I agree with him that it needs to be easier to understand.

"At the moment every team plays a wildly different number of games and that just does not create a balanced outcome or totally fair league table. And no, I am not moaning because England did not make it!"

Vaughan believes all teams must play the same number of Tests every year and that four-day fixtures need an introduction as the weather will not become a hindrance.

"I just do not think it works at the moment. I have advocated in the past for a two-tier system, with each team playing 10-12 games a year and the same number each cycle. I think four-day Tests would help this, with a minimum of a three-Test series."

"I keep saying this but I think it is a four-day product now, not five days. I think that is how you protect the greatest format. I am writing this having watched just the second draw of 2024, in a heavily rain-affected game at the Gabba (the other draw was badly rain-affected too, in Trinidad). If there had been no weather, that game would have easily finished inside four days because it was a fantastic pitch."

The recent Gabba Test between Australia and India denied the former a massive chance of going 2-1 up in the five-match series. Despite making a brave declaration on day five, the hosts could not force a victory.

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"Broadcasters would love it" - Michael Vaughan on four-day Tests

Michael Vaughan. (Image Credits: Getty)

The 2005 Ashes-winning captain further added that four-day Tests can also help in finishing a series quickly.

"Four-day Test cricket would help solve some of the game’s commercial and calendar issues by having a three-Test series completed in three weeks, with appointment-to-view matches from Thursday to Sunday each week, like a golf major. Broadcasters would love it."

With 2025 only a few days away, Vaughan claimed that he is thrilled by England's prospects in the year, given they will face India and Australia, adding:

"I am really thrilled by the prospect of 2025’s action. England are playing India and Australia and I cannot wait. Both of those opponents are coming to the end of eras, as signalled by the retirements of David Warner and Ravichandran Ashwin this year [two of the big farewells, alongside James Anderson and Tim Southee]. India will have a few retire but they will not struggle for long."

The away Ashes series will be particularly massive for England as they haven't held the urn since 2015.