Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, faced criticism following his team’s disappointing performance in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval. In light of the result, the experienced batsman suggested that a three-match final would be more ideal than the current one-off affair used to determine the WTC champion. Additionally, Sharma proposed that the final could be held outside of England and at a different time of the year.
Brad Hogg, a former Australian cricketer, recently shared his thoughts on Rohit’s idea of a three-match final on his YouTube channel. The 52-year-old ex-cricketer expressed his agreement with Sharma’s proposal and added that there should be two divisions in the championship. The top four teams would compete in division one, while the remaining teams would be placed in division two. Hogg also suggested the inclusion of a separate third division for associate teams.
“I agree with Rohit Sharma that the WTC final should be a three-match series, but this time it was a one-match final, and Australia won that, and I am not taking away from that. It is about the game moving forward. I think there should be two divisions with four teams each – the top four teams in division one and the rest in division two. The associates can be in division three and work their way up,” Hogg shared on his YouTube channel.
Hogg further elaborated on his model, drawing parallels with the division system employed in the English County Championship and football leagues. This system allows for promotion and relegation, providing smaller teams with opportunities to progress while keeping larger teams on their toes without room for complacency.
In his explanation, Hogg emphasized that the top-ranked teams in division one should have the privilege of playing the three-match final on their home soil.
“The top two teams in division one play a three-match final on the home soil of the top team in the table. Then the teams ranked three and four in division one play against teams that finished top two in division two.”
Hogg concluded by outlining the structure, stating, “Team three of division one will play at home against team two of division two, and then team one of division two will play team three of division one.”
The concept put forth by Rohit Sharma and supported by Brad Hogg aims to enhance the WTC format, introducing a multi-match final and a divisional system that promotes competition and provides opportunities for teams to rise through the ranks. While changes to the existing format may take time to materialize, these discussions contribute to the ongoing dialogue on the evolution and improvement of cricket tournaments.
