Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has urged the ICC to revise the World Test Championship (WTC) structure, just days after his country clinched their first-ever WTC title with a win over Australia. Now a YouTuber, de Villiers emphasized the need for a fairer and more balanced schedule for all Test-playing nations.
The 41-year-old proposed extending the WTC cycle to four years, similar to the ODI World Cup, to ensure that every team has the opportunity to play against each other. His comments follow criticism over the uneven number of matches played in the 2023–25 cycle—South Africa played just 12 Tests, tied for the fewest, while England played 22.
Notably, the Proteas had only two home Tests in the cycle and didn’t face either Australia or England in a full series. Speaking to BBC Sport on June 17, AB de Villiers called for a more equitable and comprehensive scheduling approach.
“This moment won’t be forgotten, but yes, to some extent, changes are necessary. I looked at the schedule for the next WTC cycle — there’s some progress, but I still believe more needs to be done to make it as consistent and fair as possible for all Test-playing nations.”
“Ideally, reaching the final should come after facing all other teams. A four-year cycle might be a better approach. We’ve done that before with ODIs, so why not apply the same logic to Test cricket? It would allow organisers more time to create a truly fair and balanced system.”
The legendary batter also praised South Africa for ending their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy, stating that it’s a moment that will be remembered forever.
“It’s a long time until our next Test match, but there’s no doubt it won’t be forgotten. I’ve absolutely no doubt the Proteas have sort of stirred the emotions of the South African cricketing fans and they will patiently wait for that next encounter.”
WTC 2025–27: Match Count for Each Participating Team
- Australia: 22
- Bangladesh: 12
- England: 21
- India: 18
- New Zealand: 16
- Pakistan: 13
- South Africa: 14
- Sri Lanka: 12
- West Indies: 14
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