Jay Shah will take over as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman on December 1. The supremo of world cricket, there’ll be a few things on the administrator’s agenda, one of which will be changing the venue for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.
Two editions of the WTC Final have already taken place at Lord’s in England, and the upcoming one will be held at the ‘home of cricket’ as well. A change in the venue of the Test championship would be one of the things that will be at the top of Jay Shah’s list.
Change in WTC Final venue
“We (BCCI) have spoken to the ICC about it. They (ICC) will consider changing the venue,” Jay Shah had said in May. He’d said so as the BCCI Secretary, the post at which he’ll remain until November 2024. His sentiments about a change of venue for the WTC Final will remain the same, but his perspective may shift. Going forward, he’ll have to think about what’s best for the growth of cricket worldwide instead of focusing on how Indian cricket can excel.
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Personal bias can creep in, as he might feel that India has checked the ODI and T20I World Cups off the list, and the WTC Final is the only major ICC event that remains. If he does think so, Jay Shah will have to change that mindset soon. It won’t be just him who needs a readjustment.
England has been the inventor of cricket, which was originally played in the format that is seen as the toughest, Test cricket. But this isn’t 1877. No one holds the right to cricket anymore. So, naturally, it’s only fair that the WTC Final be shifted to someplace else. India might be a good option, but Jay Shah would focus on holding the final somewhere other than England. It doesn’t matter if the venue is Chennai or Christchurch.
