Giles Clarke, the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, has backed the idea hosting Tests between Asian countries as part of the global effort to protect the elite status of the five-day game.

Clarke believes all-Asian Tests are likely to prove more marketable at major venues in this country than they might be on the sub-continent.

The possibility of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh playing at venues such as Headingley, Old Trafford or Edgbaston has been mooted over recent seasons.

Clarke said: "I like the idea of providing the opportunity with our fabulous grounds and our huge ethnic minority populations who are keen to see their own heroes - and it may be in the interests of cricket; that's the most important thing for me.

"Indeed it might be said that Pakistan might get a better crowd in Leeds than in Karachi."

Clarke is enthused partly because of the need to maintain Test cricket as the pinnacle of the sport, in an era which has seen Twenty20 emerge as a major crowd-puller.

The ECB chairman believes, however, that any strategy towards retaining the profile of Test cricket needs to be properly thought out.

"Clearly I can't speak for anyone else internationally. Other countries do things slightly differently from us because of the economics from their point of view," he added.

"We have to respect that, but I doubt very much whether we will play fewer than five Tests against Australia and we have negotiated 'icon series' status with South Africa and will play five Tests there on our next tour.

"There is a strong awareness within the ICC of how important Test cricket is and of the importance of looking after it. There is only so much I can do."