Why cricket is not a global game

International cricket was already a popular sport in the Indian subcontinent in the 1990s and in the new millennium, Bangladesh became the latest member to attain Test status.

But in the two decades that followed, the popularity has remained in the subcontinent and that has led to India to become a superpower on and off the cricketing arena. 

Only in 2018, almost two decades after Bangladesh did Ireland and Afghanistan both get Test status. 

Previously, the ICC had stated that a new team was getting Test status every ten years, but that stagnated.

There was talk of the International Cricket Council (ICC) expanding to China but that has also not been too successful. 

As things stand, there is a sense that India does not want to let the game grow as that could lead to their loss of power in cricket, on and off the field.

While that may not be entirely factual, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) does have a great deal of influence on the ICC and their decisions and a lot of that is down to the amount of money the BCCI generates for the ICC - over 80% of the ICC's annual revenue.

The decisions the ICC takes does tend to favour the BCCI and what suits them best, but has that been detrimental to the health of cricket and its development?

In short, it has not been as bad as some of the governing board's own failures. 

No fixed season for international games 

If the ICC plans to ensure that cricket stays healthy, it needs to take care of the top teams and make sure the upcoming teams get enough chances to prove themselves.

For too many years we have seen the newer teams not get enough chances to play against the bigger, more established teams. 

If the ICC had a fixed schedule every year for international matches determining which team faces which team - giving each team an equal opportunity to face each other - then the developing teams would get more exposure and have a better chance to improve. 

Renowned coach and current cricket advisor at the BKSP, Nazmul Abedeen Fahim believes that the ICC has focused more on monetary gains than long-term development: "Nepal is a very good example of a cricket-crazy country but they are not being given enough matches or provided with enough facilities by the ICC."

High operational costs 

Unlike football per say, which can be played in the rain and almost anywhere with a ball, cricket has to be played in dry conditions and on a pitch.

Then there is the cost of buying proper cricketing equipment, which is not always available but also expensive. 

Fahim adds: "It is not easy for a team to make it to the very top because of the costs involved and as a result, you see the stagnated growth. If the ICC was not thinking so much about the monetary benefits, this situation would have been different." 

Increase the number of teams in World Cups

The number of teams in the last World Cup was cut down to just ten whereas it was much higher in previous editions.

The decision was once again met by lots of criticism from fans and ex-players. 

If the ICC truly wants to help the game grow, it needs to give the associate teams the impetus and the motivation required to get better. A spot in the grandest event of the cricketing world almost all but guarantees that, and can create potential 'David versus Goliath' stories. 

Former Bangladesh team captain and current Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) selector Habibul Bashar believes that the decision to decrease teams in the World Cup was not a good one.

"I remember how interested people were before we (Bangladesh) played in the World Cup and how that skyrocketed after the tournament. It went from 30 to 100  just like that and I think if more teams played, it would be the same for their country and their people," he says. 

The Test Championship delay

The ICC Test Championship was an idea that was floated in 2010, but it took nearly a decade for it to come to fruition. There were issues with scheduling and there were two cancelled attempts in 2013 and in 2017. 

A generation of great cricketers - the likes of Sachin Tentulkar, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis - missed out on this tournament.

Cricket's first and most elite format deserved this and for fans to miss out on getting to see the great Australia and South African sides was certainly a jolt to Test cricket's popularity and perhaps its quality too.

"There was a time when the ICC was setting up the future tours programme (FTP) and teams had to play each other but that is not there anymore," Bashar expressed, citing that more could be done by the ICC to ensure every team plays each other. 

Increase pay in Tests 

The way things are going in cricket, franchise T20 leagues are paying cricketers more than what they would make by playing Tests. As a result, many players are saying no to the most elite form of the game and opting out for an easier payday. 

The ICC needs to raise the amounts they pay to players in Tests if they are to ensure all the best players are playing it.

It needs to try and help the cricket boards out to ensure that the players are paid enough in their contracts as well. 

"It wouldn't be possible for us to pay our cricketers the same amount that the England Cricket Board (ECB) does," Bashar added, citing the financial disparity between the two boards.

Bring back the Champions Trophy

The year 2017 could well be the last time we saw the ICC Champions Trophy, an ODI tournament with a knockout format. If the ICC can fix the World Cup format and the yearly scheduling, it can make room for the Champions Trophy too. 

If people were worried about the health of the 50-over format due to the advent of T20 cricket, this sort of tournament would be the perfect tonic to show fans what the top teams can do and keep prestige in all three formats. 

"I'm not sure if the Champions Trophy is not going to happen again. It usually happens the year before the World Cup, so let's see," Bashar added. 

A few of these decisions were probably influenced by the BCCI, such as the window for the IPL every year, but certain things are within the ICC's grasp to control and make better.

While from the outside it may seem like the health of cricket is fine, the popularity of the game has mostly grown within the subcontinent and not grown enough beyond it.

There will come a time when the ICC has to work on ensuring the game is growing beyond the sub-continent as well.