While Indian cricket also accumulates vast wealth through the IPL and their international matches, Shah claims India supports other countries by touring more than any other Test nation. This generates income for the host nation selling broadcast rights back to India.

The fund is unlikely to directly benefit the three most wealthy cricket nations – India, Australia and England – who all pay their players well.

Pat Cummins earned about $3 million from Cricket Australia last year as captain of the Test and one-day teams. Most regular Australian players earn between $1 million and $2 million a year.

Just how much money is available for Test cricket from the ICC may depend on a dispute with broadcaster Star.

Star’s winning bid for both TV and digital rights, $US3 billion ($4.46 billion) over four years, was made on the understanding it would on-sell a portion of the deal to ZeeTV, which was in the process of a merger deal with Sony.

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But after the collapse of the merger, ZeeTV backed out of sub-licensing the ICC rights, leaving Star to foot the entire bill. Star’s discomfort with the cost of the rights was underlined by an unsuccessful request, earlier this year, to relocate the T20 World Cup from the USA and the Caribbean to India.

The move to set up a Test fund began after South Africa named a vastly weakened squad to tour New Zealand early this year. Having sold their soul to IPL franchises for South Africa’s T20 tournament, SA administrators were then unable to pick their best players.

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh was furious, claiming that administrators “don’t care” about Test cricket.

Following Waugh’s condemnation of the game’s governors, Baird agreed action needed to be taken.

“If we’re in a position that national teams aren’t being prioritised, then we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Baird said.

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