England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wants to start playing five-match Test series against other than Australia or India, with Pakistan and South Africa in mind as a possible opponent, as part of its strategy to revive the format, English media reported on Monday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is said to be looking to revive the five-match Test series tradition against non-Big Three sides in an effort to resuscitate interest in the longest format of the game. English media reports on Monday suggested that Pakistan and South Africa are likely to be the opponents in this longer series, with the first one being held as early as summer 2028.

The report stated that the concept would revive interest in the Test match unless the series was between the other three members, Australia, India and England.

"The England & Wales Cricket Board considers that longer series would serve to stimulate interest in Test playing, over series between fellow members of the 'big three', and illustrate the unique strength of the format to construct storylines across more than a single match," the report added. "It is also presumed that longer series bring a greater sense of occasion," it went on.

The report further alleged that Pakistan and South Africa were most likely to be invited as cricketing countries for a full-scale series in the next three years, as they have long-standing rivalries with England and their fan bases within the country.

If the idea becomes a reality, it will be a notable development in the English cricket year. England had its last five-match Test series against Pakistan way back in 1992, an eventful series which had the Javed Miandad captain-led Pakistani side emerging as the victor by a score of 2-1.

The ECB is said to be weighing two sets of four-match and five-match Test series options, and it is firmly looking at the option of being daring and having a five-match series.

For those who don't know, England's most recent five-match Test series against Pakistan were back in 1992 and resulted in a 2-1 home loss to Javed Miandad's team.

Their previous five-match Test series against South Africa was actually played in the 2004-05 season.