England and Wales Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould said the future Test series against Australia and India are "significant priorities" for the men's team.
Gould's remarks came after ECB's review of the Test team, which saw coach Brendon McCullum, captain Ben Stokes and ECB's managing director, all retain their jobs. The review came in the wake of England's 1-4 drubbing in the Ashes earlier this year.
Gould emphasized that going forward, England would measure its success primarily through Test series against Australia and India, rather than performances in the World Test Championship or white-ball ICC tournaments. He also pointed to the growing viewership of Test cricket in England as a key reason for retaining the current team management despite their heavy defeat in Australia.
"We need to prioritise better because we need to understand where success best sits. In this country, Test cricket in the men's game is where it sits," Gould said.
Since McCullum took charge as England's Test coach in 2022, the team has yet to win a Test series against either India or Australia. His appointment ushered in a bold, aggressive style of play, but victories over their two biggest rivals have remained elusive.
Gould also stressed that the three teams also acknowledge the importance of Test cricket. "We, as a system - that's us, India, Australia - need to make sure that we're paying full respect to the format of the game and making sure the players have the opportunity to perform their highest [potential]," Gould added.
He also said that irrespective of the formats of cricket, the teams' are measuring their success in how they perform in Tests. "When I see the various forms of cricket taking off around the world, some of it means less than others and at those times, Test cricket is becoming even more important because it's the thing that everybody wants to succeed in. It's how you prove and demonstrate your ability and your success, and that's what we're keen on doing," Gould added.
This year, England are due to play a three-match Test series against New Zealand and Pakistan. The team will then be on road as it will visit South Africa for a three-match Test series followed by a two-match series in Bangladesh. In March 2027, they will play a one-off Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to celebrate 150 years of Test cricket.
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