Here we are at last after years of discussion and false starts. In a bid to bring context and relevance to the longest format, the ICC Test Championship begins on August 1st with the Ashes.
The Test Championship will see the top nine teams play six series each, three at home and three away, over a two year cycle. The top two teams will face each other in the inaugural final at Lord's in June 2021. If the final is drawn or tied (yeah like that could happen !), the team that finished top of the table will be declared the winner.
The points system is as follows - each series has a maximum of 120 points up for grabs to ensure those playing fewer Tests aren't disadvantaged. To put an end to dead rubbers, points will be gained per match not per series. The points weighting is show below.
Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe will not be part of the tournament.
Format: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/icc...alia-england-ashes-explainer-guide/2019-07-19
Points System:

Fixtures:
India
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v West Indies (A)
October-November 2019: 3 Tests v South Africa (H)
November 2019: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (H)
February 2020: 2 Tests v New Zealand (A)
December 2020: 4 Tests v Australia (A)
January-February 2021: 5 Tests v England (H)
England
July-August 2019: 5 Tests v Australia (H)
December 2019-January 2020: 4 Tests v South Africa (A)
March 2020: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (A)
June-July 2020: 3 Tests v West Indies (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v Pakistan (H)
January-February 2021: 5 Tests v India (A)
Australia
July-August-September 2019: 5 Tests v England (A)
November 2019: 2 Tests v Pakistan (H)
December 2019-January 2020: 3 Tests v New Zealand (H)
February 2020: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (A)
November-December 2020: 4 Tests v India (H)
February-March 2021: 3 Tests v South Africa (A)
South Africa
October 2019: 3 Tests v India (A)
December 2019-January 2020: 4 Tests v England (H)
July-August 2020: 2 Tests v West Indies (A)
January 2021: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (H)
January-February 2021: 2 Tests v Pakistan (A)
February-March 2021: 3 Tests v Australia (H)
New Zealand
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (A)
December 2019-January 2020: 3 Tests v Australia (A)
February 2020: 2 Tests v India (H)
August-September 2020: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (A)
November-December 2020: 3 Tests v West Indies (H)
December 2020: 2 Tests v Pakistan (H)
Sri Lanka
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v New Zealand (H)
October 2019: 2 Tests v Pakistan (A)
March-April 2020: 2 Tests v England (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v Bangladesh (H)
January 2021: 2 Tests v South Africa (A)
February-March 2021: 2 Tests v West Indies (A)
Pakistan
October 2019: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (H)
November-December 2019: 2 Tests v Australia (A)
January-February 2020: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v England (A)
December 2020: 2 Tests v New Zealand (A)
January-February 2021: 2 Tests v South Africa (H)
Bangladesh
November 2019: 3 Tests v India (A)
January-February 2020: 2 Tests v Pakistan (A)
February 2020: 2 Tests v Australia (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v Sri Lanka (A)
August-September 2020: 2 Tests v New Zealand (H)
January-February 2021: 3 Tests v Windies (H)
West Indies
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v India (H)
June-July 2020: 3 Tests v England (A)
July-August 2020: 2 Tests v South Africa (H)
November-December 2020: 3 Tests v New Zealand (A)
January-February 2021: 3 Tests v Bangladesh (A)
February-March 2021: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (H)
My prediction is an India-New Zealand final.
The Test Championship will see the top nine teams play six series each, three at home and three away, over a two year cycle. The top two teams will face each other in the inaugural final at Lord's in June 2021. If the final is drawn or tied (yeah like that could happen !), the team that finished top of the table will be declared the winner.
The points system is as follows - each series has a maximum of 120 points up for grabs to ensure those playing fewer Tests aren't disadvantaged. To put an end to dead rubbers, points will be gained per match not per series. The points weighting is show below.
Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe will not be part of the tournament.
Format: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/icc...alia-england-ashes-explainer-guide/2019-07-19
Points System:

Fixtures:
India
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v West Indies (A)
October-November 2019: 3 Tests v South Africa (H)
November 2019: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (H)
February 2020: 2 Tests v New Zealand (A)
December 2020: 4 Tests v Australia (A)
January-February 2021: 5 Tests v England (H)
England
July-August 2019: 5 Tests v Australia (H)
December 2019-January 2020: 4 Tests v South Africa (A)
March 2020: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (A)
June-July 2020: 3 Tests v West Indies (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v Pakistan (H)
January-February 2021: 5 Tests v India (A)
Australia
July-August-September 2019: 5 Tests v England (A)
November 2019: 2 Tests v Pakistan (H)
December 2019-January 2020: 3 Tests v New Zealand (H)
February 2020: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (A)
November-December 2020: 4 Tests v India (H)
February-March 2021: 3 Tests v South Africa (A)
South Africa
October 2019: 3 Tests v India (A)
December 2019-January 2020: 4 Tests v England (H)
July-August 2020: 2 Tests v West Indies (A)
January 2021: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (H)
January-February 2021: 2 Tests v Pakistan (A)
February-March 2021: 3 Tests v Australia (H)
New Zealand
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (A)
December 2019-January 2020: 3 Tests v Australia (A)
February 2020: 2 Tests v India (H)
August-September 2020: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (A)
November-December 2020: 3 Tests v West Indies (H)
December 2020: 2 Tests v Pakistan (H)
Sri Lanka
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v New Zealand (H)
October 2019: 2 Tests v Pakistan (A)
March-April 2020: 2 Tests v England (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v Bangladesh (H)
January 2021: 2 Tests v South Africa (A)
February-March 2021: 2 Tests v West Indies (A)
Pakistan
October 2019: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (H)
November-December 2019: 2 Tests v Australia (A)
January-February 2020: 2 Tests v Bangladesh (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v England (A)
December 2020: 2 Tests v New Zealand (A)
January-February 2021: 2 Tests v South Africa (H)
Bangladesh
November 2019: 3 Tests v India (A)
January-February 2020: 2 Tests v Pakistan (A)
February 2020: 2 Tests v Australia (H)
July-August 2020: 3 Tests v Sri Lanka (A)
August-September 2020: 2 Tests v New Zealand (H)
January-February 2021: 3 Tests v Windies (H)
West Indies
July-August 2019: 2 Tests v India (H)
June-July 2020: 3 Tests v England (A)
July-August 2020: 2 Tests v South Africa (H)
November-December 2020: 3 Tests v New Zealand (A)
January-February 2021: 3 Tests v Bangladesh (A)
February-March 2021: 2 Tests v Sri Lanka (H)
My prediction is an India-New Zealand final.