Heinrich Malan calls for a two-tier Test championship to aid Ireland’s cause

Although head coach Malan has overseen three successive Test wins – the first against Afghanistan, followed by home and away victories over Zimbabwe – he has not previously championed the longest form of the game.

But if the ICC adopt a proposal to expand the existing nine-team Test championship to 12, with two divisions of six, Ireland would find themselves playing regularly against Pakistan, the West Indies and Bangladesh, as well as Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

“The fact that there could be promotion and relegation will really give it some context and so I’d be very much in favour, in general, and it would mean more Test cricket,” Malan said.

The prohibitive cost of staging Tests has meant the Boys in Green have played just two at home – and 10 in total – in the eight years since being elevated to the top table of world cricket.

“We put a high price on Test cricket. The fact that we don’t play it that often heightens that a little bit as well,” Malan said.

“We’ve played a fair few one-off Test matches and hopefully, as we move forward, we can keep seeing two Tests taking place as a minimum. I know it’s not always viable, but that’s definitely something that we would be pushing for.”

Ireland have only played one two-match series, losing both games to Sri Lanka in Galle in 2023, in the same month the Boys in Green lost their only encounter with Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Without fully committing himself, Malan gave a strong nod towards Cade Carmichael to open the batting for Ireland in the first Test at Sylhet next week, after the retirement of PJ Moor.

“He has shown that real appetite to score runs and done that consistently throughout the year,” Malan said. “He did that in domestic cricket, in club cricket and obviously when he’s had his opportunities in the Wolves, he’s done that too.”

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