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ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has called for an overhaul of how international cricket is scheduled, arguing that the era of "randomly" arranged bilateral series must end if the sport wants to remain commercially sustainable and relevant to fans.

Gupta said cricket needs greater context, stronger competition and more meaningful narratives around its international fixtures. He also backed the continued relevance of ODI cricket, particularly through its connection with the men's and women's World Cups.

‘Randomly’ Scheduled Bilateral Series Need To End

Gupta said bilateral cricket cannot continue without a stronger sense of purpose, pointing to the financial and logistical resources required to stage international matches.

"The era of randomly scheduled bilateral series has to come to an end, because countries will not be able to sustain cricket without context, culture, competition and competitiveness," Gupta told PTI.

He said these four elements are crucial to driving fan attention and affiliation, adding that ODI cricket still has the potential to grow if its role within the sport is clearly defined.

"There is a place for the format in the product portfolio, which is inextricably linked to men's and women's ICC Cricket World Cups," he said.

Bilateral series are currently arranged by individual cricket boards, with the ICC primarily responsible for global multi-nation tournaments such as the World Cups and the World Test Championship.

ICC CEO Backs ODIs Despite T20’s Growing Dominance

The future of 50-over cricket has increasingly come under scrutiny as T20 leagues continue to expand globally.

Gupta, however, believes ODIs can still thrive if the format develops a clearer identity and remains closely connected to the World Cup cycle.

PTI also understands that discussions have taken place within the ICC about creating a dedicated window for ODI cricket ahead of World Cup editions.

The ICC CEO stressed that the governing body's focus on T20 as its main growth vehicle does not mean Test and ODI cricket will be neglected.

"Our primary tool of global growth is T20 cricket, but that does not mean we don't focus on growing the value or engagement around ODIs or Test cricket," Gupta said.

‘If You Are Not Growing, You Are Dying’

Gupta also argued that cricket cannot rely solely on its traditional prestige and history to attract newer audiences.

"Our ambition has to be growth; our ambition should never be to maintain the status quo. Because in this world, where population is growing, attention is getting disaggregated and affiliation is hard to sustain, if you're not growing, you're dying," he said.

He pointed to Wimbledon and golf's Masters Tournament as examples of established sporting events that have continued to reinvent themselves while retaining their prestige.

According to Gupta, cricket needs to take a similar approach to its major formats and competitions.

Test Cricket Needs Better Scheduling And Marketing

Gupta acknowledged that Test cricket continues to carry significant prestige, legacy and sporting value. However, he argued that those qualities need to be matched by stronger commercial planning and a better experience for modern audiences.

The World Test Championship has already given Test cricket additional context by creating a longer-term competitive narrative, but Gupta believes more can be done.

He called for Test matches outside the traditional powerhouses of India, England and Australia to be scheduled more strategically, with greater marketing and promotional support.

Test cricket, he said, needs optimal scheduling, competitive match-ups, suitable playing conditions and stronger efforts to turn individual fixtures into major occasions for fans.

The broader message from the ICC chief is clear: international cricket's future may depend less on simply playing more matches and more on giving those matches a reason for fans to care.