The upcoming India vs England Test series is shaping up to be more than just a cricket battle. For the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), it’s an opportunity to bring fans back after a quiet and somewhat forgettable summer.
According to ECB chief executive Richard Gould, this five-match series carries commercial weight that rivals the Ashes.
Last year’s summer in England was packed with global events. The Paris Olympics and the Euro football tournament pulled fans in different directions, and cricket took a backseat.
Even after England defeated Sri Lanka, large sections of empty seats at Lord’s were hard to ignore. That, Gould believes, won’t be the case when India comes to town.
“We know how big it is. It is a huge summer,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
“Last summer, there were all sorts of things happening all over the place, weren’t there?
“I think that is one of the great things about a five-Test series: it is a proper long-read; it’s something that people can get really into. There will be subplots, and sub-subplots. There will be all sorts of issues over that six-week period,” Gould said.
Even with the recent retirements of legends like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R Ashwin from Test cricket, the India vs England series still stands out in the cricketing calendar.
“Certainly, in terms of commercial importance,” he added.
This series also marks the beginning of a new cycle in the World Test Championship for both teams.
India last won a Test series in England back in 2007. Their previous tour in 2021-22 ended in a 2-2 draw, leaving fans with a sense of unfinished business.
Gould believes that five-match Test series like this one are bringing back the charm of the traditional format, even in an era dominated by shorter versions of the game.
“There’s been lots of discussion about short formats, but Test cricket is doing quite a resurgence in its own way,” he said.
“Particularly with the five-Test series, we’re seeing more of those than we have done for a long time.”
On the topic of the World Test Championship final, Gould feels England continues to have a unique advantage as a host.
Even if England is not playing, English venues still manage to attract strong crowds. This has helped the country host three consecutive WTC finals.
“The WTC, for us, is not the be-all and end-all. Because we also enjoy the Ashes and we will enjoy the India series,” Gould said.
“We don’t think that we’ve got any absolute right to be the continual host of the WTC final, but there are advantages to having it here. Irrespective of who gets into the final, we will sell it out… We’re probably the only member nation within the ICC that could deliver that.
“We recognise that perhaps others would like to take it around the world at some point… But the worry is if you move it, end up with two neutral teams, and don’t get a crowd, the whole thing could devalue and deflate pretty quickly.”
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