Ashes of India? Cricket Australia opens doors for landmark 150th Test Cricket News
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said the board was willing to explore the possibility of hosting the landmark 150th anniversary Ashes Test in India, underscoring the growing importance of the Indian market to world cricket. Australia and England are scheduled to play a one-off Test in March next year to mark the 150th anniversary of the historic Ashes clash. While there are currently no plans to host the tournament outside of Australia, Greenberg admitted the idea of hosting the tournament in India could be considered in the future. His comments come as Cricket Australia is expanding its footprint in India. This December, the Big Bash League will host a match in Chennai, where Melbourne Renegades will take on Perth Scorchers, marking another step towards distance between Australian cricket and Indian fans. The prospect of Ashes Tests in India also reflects the commercial significance of the country’s cricket market. India remains the sport’s largest audience and hosting a major match between Australia and England will generate huge interest while creating new business opportunities. Greenberg said Cricket Australia would not rule out the idea because of its close links with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “We have to be open to considering all options,” Greenberg told the BBC’s Stumped podcast. “Our relationship with the ECB and BCCI is very strong. There are clearly opportunities for India to invest more in certain areas. That is not our current plan but it is certainly open to consideration.” India’s influence on the global cricket economy has continued to grow in recent years. For example, the ECB is expected to make a sizeable profit from the last eight white-ball internationals against India, despite England winning six of them. The financial return from hosting the men’s and women’s Ashes series next year is expected to exceed the board’s expectations. While Greenberg is open to the proposal, he admitted that arranging a five-day Ashes Test in India would be no easy task. India’s calendar is already packed with international cricket and the IPL, with next year expected to start earlier than usual to avoid the sweltering heat of late May. Therefore, finding the right window for another large event will be a major challenge. “I think our Test cricket between England and India is still very strong, probably going against the trend in the rest of the world. So we want to make sure we continue to develop and strengthen that. “The challenge for everyone in global cricket is that the schedule is only 365 days and if we can actually generate the content we want, we may need another month or two,” he said.
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