Controversy has followed the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) ever since its launch in 2019, with the points system emerging as its most debated element. While the WTC was introduced to revive interest in Test cricket through a league format culminating in a definitive final, its scoring mechanism, intended to fairly reward teams across varied series lengths, has instead sparked confusion, criticism, and widespread claims of unfairness.
Whether it’s about unequal series weights, percentage-based qualifications, or pandemic-induced anomalies, the WTC points system has stirred significant debate in the cricketing world. Here’s a look at five of the most controversial moments where this system became the talk of the cricketing world for all the wrong reasons.
5. Dead Rubbers and Strategic Resting – Australia in the 2023 Ashes
Issue: After securing a place in the WTC 2023 Final, Australia were accused of not playing their best XI in the remaining Ashes Tests.
Controversy: Critics argued this diluted the integrity of the Ashes and questioned if the points system indirectly incentivised teams to rest players once qualification was secured.
Debate: Should there be penalties for fielding weakened teams in dead rubbers? Or should WTC ensure every match carries enough weight to avoid dead-rubber complacency?
4. South Africa’s Fixture Disadvantage – WTC 2021–23
Issue: South Africa played fewer matches (11 Tests) in the cycle compared to others like England (22).
Controversy: Despite winning a higher percentage early on, their lack of fixtures due to financial and bilateral scheduling constraints pushed them down the table as others played more and improved their PCT.
Result: They dropped out of final contention despite an impressive win record.
Criticism: Fans and pundits felt the system unfairly punished teams for their board’s scheduling limitations.
3. Rain-Affected Tests and the Harsh Draw Penalty – WTC 2021–23
Issue: A team getting just 4 points for a hard-fought draw (e.g. due to rain) was seen as unfair, especially when weather played spoilsport.
Example: Pakistan vs West Indies in Jamaica, where Pakistan dominated but rain saved Windies, leading to just 4 points each.
Controversy: Calls grew louder for factoring in match context or introducing bonus points for dominance, rather than flat allocations.
2. Unequal Series Weightage – India vs Bangladesh vs England Discontent
Issue: Under the original system, every series, regardless of the number of Tests, carried the same 120 points.
Example: A 2-Test series gave 60 points per win, while a 5-Test series gave only 24 points per win.
Controversy: Teams playing longer series (like England vs India or the Ashes) felt penalised, while teams playing shorter series (like New Zealand vs Pakistan) stood to gain more per win.
Reaction: This system was widely panned by analysts for encouraging shorter series and distorting competitiveness.
1. The Percentage Points Twist – WTC 2019–21 Final Qualification
Issue: Midway through the inaugural cycle, the ICC changed the qualification criteria from total points to percentage of points won (PCT) due to COVID-19 disruptions.
Controversy: Australia, which had accumulated more raw points, lost their spot in the final due to a lower percentage after they cancelled their South Africa tour.
Result: India and New Zealand made it to the final, while Australia were left stunned.
Criticism: Many experts, including Michael Vaughan and Ricky Ponting, slammed the abrupt rule change mid-cycle.
Final Thoughts
The WTC points system was created to bring fairness and structure to Test cricket’s scattered schedule, but it has often delivered the opposite. While the percentage-based system has improved on earlier flaws, it still struggles with match inequality, fixture imbalances, and contextual blindness.
With WTC 2025 and beyond in view, fans and experts are hoping for a more transparent and intuitive points structure that values each Test fairly, rewards dominance, and minimises loopholes. Because in Test cricket, every session should matter.
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