In October 2010, the ICC Board approved the recommendations from the ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC). These recommendations seek to give exciting content and context for international cricket within the Future Tours Programme (FTP) after 2012 and also to consider future ICC events.

The Board agreed that the FTP should consist of a Test league to provide context for all Test matches and that the league, based on the Reliance ICC Rankings Table, would determine the top four teams to qualify for an ICC Test play-off.

IIt also agreed that the play-off should be held once every four years to determine the Test champion team. It has been agreed that the first ICC Test Championship will be held in 2017.

IICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with. We have now agreed in principle to exciting and far-reaching proposals to tackle this most important issue.

"Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but we have responded well to a strategic priority to restructure international cricket. The proposals, especially introducing more meaningful context, means we now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting."