Cape Town [South Africa]: South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis is excited about the upcoming ICC World Test Championship. He feels that the championship will give proper context to the longest format of the game.
“The ICC Test Championship is something new and quite exciting for this format. For the last, while we have longed to have something to play for that gives proper context to Test cricket,” Sport24.co.za quoted Du Plessis as saying.
“The Proteas have had some cracking contests in bilateral series over the last couple of years, and going forward, the stakes are high because every series matters over a period of two years with it culminating in a final at Lord’s,” he added.
ICC on Monday officially launched the World Test Championship in which top nine Test teams will take part. In the championship, a total of 71 Test matches will be played across 27 series over two years. The top two teams will then contest in the ICC World Test Championship final in June 2021 in the UK.
Du Plessis also termed it as ‘refreshing’ and is looking forward to a new chapter of Test cricket. South Africa will start their ICC World Test Championship against India, who are placed at number one spot in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings.
“It’s refreshing, as as the players we are looking forward to this new chapter of Test cricket. We have a tough assignment to start with against India away playing for the Freedom series,” he said.
“We beat them at home last season but playing against India in India is probably one of the toughest challenges for an international player,” he added.
“We then have the current world champions England at home, this is always a cracker of a series during our summer and one that we look forward to. We probably have the toughest start, but everyone will play everyone, so it doesn’t really matter,” Du Plessis added.