Significant changes to the way international cricket is run have been agreed in principle by the ICC board.

They were, however, toned down from a set of radical proposals put forward by the game’s big three: India, England and Australia.

“Key principles” that had “unanimous support” from the board at its meeting in Dubai, according to the ICC, included the dumping of the troubled Test championship, which will be replaced in 2017 by the limited-overs Champions Trophy competition.

The International Cricket Council also says a new executive committee will be set up consisting of representatives from India, England and Australia and two other representatives taken from the ICC board.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia had proposed a four-member executive committee, with those three countries deciding who joined them and rotating the chair between them.

The ICC says anyone from its board, which is made up of the 10 Test-playing nations and three representatives of smaller cricket countries, could eventually be elected to chair the board.

It also says anyone on the executive committee or influential finance and commercial affairs committee could chair those, but only after a “transitional period” ends in 2016.

Until then, India, England and Australia will lead the governing body’s top committees.

It was also agreed in principle that smaller countries would also have the chance to play Test cricket, but no one would lose their Test status.

The ICC didn’t give detail on how current non Test-playing countries might win the right to play Tests.

India, England and Australia had suggested a reduced eight-team top tier for Tests with two countries immediately relegated, regular promotion and relegation, but immunity from relegation for the big three.

Tuesday’s proposed changes were yet to be formally adopted, with ICC President Alan Isaac saying “extensive work will now be undertaken in advance of a follow-up board meeting next month”.