The Proteas have a new title to aim for after the ICC confirmed the introduction of the World Test Championship.
On Wednesday, cricket’s world governing body released the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the next five-year period from 2018 to 2023, including World Test Championship, which will run from 15 July 2019 to 30 April 2021.
The nine top-ranked sides will play six series in the two-year cycle on a home and away basis against opponents they have mutually selected.
The two top-ranked sides will then progress to the June 2021 final to decide the champions of the five-day game.
South Africa will start their quest against India away next October and then host England.
Also after next year’s World Cup, the Proteas will take part in a 13-team ODI league, that will double up a qualifiers for the ICC’s premier 50-over tournament in the future.
Cricket SA’s acting CEO Thabang Moroe says: “The introduction of the World Test Championship and an ODI league will give these formats the much-needed context to ensure their long-term viability along with the popular T20 format.”
“The Championship and the league have been designed in a manner which makes all International matches important.”