ECB chief Richard Gould said the upcoming India-England Test series in 2025 is as important as the Ashes in terms of fan interest and revenue.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) sees the upcoming five-Test series between England and India in 2025 as a major highlight of the summer. ECB Chief Richard Gould views the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy as commercially on par with the Ashes. Following a disappointing 2024 season marked by low attendance due to global events such as the Paris Olympics and UEFA Euro, the board anticipates a significant boost this year.
Gould noted that Test cricket has been regaining popularity, especially with the return of extended series. With no major global sporting events this summer, the ECB anticipates strong crowds and viewer engagement.
“We know how big it is. It is a huge summer. 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, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
“Certainly, in terms of commercial importance. There’s been lots of discussion about short formats, but Test cricket is doing quite a resurgence in its own way. Particularly with the five-Test series, we’re seeing more of those than we have done for a long time,” he added.
England Remains Front-Runner to Host WTC Finals, Says Richard Gould
Richard Gould also pointed out that England remains the top candidate to host the WTC Finals due to its strong Test match attendances. While acknowledging that England does not have an exclusive right to host the event, he highlighted the country’s proven ability to fill stadiums regardless of the finalists. Gould then stressed that, for England, events like the Ashes and the India Test series hold as much value as the WTC.
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“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. 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,” he said.
“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,” the ECB Chief concluded.
Last Updated on June 18, 2025
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