Ireland coach backs expanded World Test Championship to boost red-ball cricket

Dhaka, 4 November 2025:

Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan says expanding the World Test Championship could help his team play more consistent red-ball cricket.

Ireland, granted Test status in 2017, have played just 10 matches, winning three and losing seven. Their upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh this month will be their first red-ball fixtures since beating Zimbabwe in February.

Reports suggest that after the current Future Tours Programme ends in 2027, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe could be included in the World Test Championship for the first time, forming a second tier with Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh. The proposed structure would feature promotion and relegation between divisions.

While the idea has stirred debate, Malan views it as a positive step.

“I don’t see too many problems with that. I just see a whole lot more cricket,” Malan said. “The fact that there’s the promotion-relegation piece will really give it some context. I’m very much in favor of more cricket and more Test cricket.”

Ireland’s Bangladesh tour also includes three T20s as part of preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Despite the focus on limited-overs cricket, Malan welcomed the inclusion of both Tests in the schedule.

“We’ve played a fair few one-off Tests, and hopefully we can keep seeing two-Test series as a minimum,” he said. “We obviously put a high price on Test match cricket. The fact that we don’t play it that often heightens that value even more.”

Since Ireland’s last Test, opener PJ Moor has retired, leaving a vacancy at the top of the order. Malan said the replacement would be announced soon but praised 23-year-old Cade Carmichael, one of five potential Test debutants on the tour.

“He’s shown a real appetite to score runs and done that consistently throughout the year,” Malan said. “His performances in domestic and club cricket, and with the Wolves, have earned him his place. His hunger for runs has really stood out.”