Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said the organization would be open to exploring the possibility of holding the 150th anniversary Ashes Test in India, confirming the importance of the Indian market to international cricket. Australia and England are due to play one Test in March next year to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Ashes tournament. While there are no plans to take the game outside of Australia, Greenberg admitted that the idea of ​​taking it to India could be considered in the future. His comments come at a time when Cricket Australia is growing in India. This December, the Big Bash League will stage a match in Chennai, where the Melbourne Renegades will take on the Perth Scorchers, marking another step in bringing Australian cricket closer to Indian fans. The prospect of an Ashes Test in India also shows the importance of marketing in the country’s cricket market. India is still the most populated country in the game, and hosting a match between Australia and England would generate huge interest and create new business opportunities. Greenberg said Cricket Australia would not reject the idea, citing its strong relationship with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “We have to be open enough to consider all the options,” Greenberg told the BBC’s Stumped podcast. “Our relationship with the ECB, as well as the BCCI, is very strong. And clearly, there is an opportunity for India to invest in other areas. This is not something that we are currently planning, but it will certainly be open for consideration.” India’s economic influence on global cricket has continued to grow in recent years. For example, the ECB is expected to make a significant profit from the eight white-ball matches it hosted against India recently, even though England won six of those matches. The financial returns are expected to exceed the organization’s expectations for next year’s men’s and women’s Ashes series. Although open to the request, Greenberg admitted that planning the five-day Ashes Test in India would not be easy. India’s calendar is already packed with international cricket and the IPL, which is expected to start earlier than usual next year to avoid the scorching heat of late May. Finding the right window for a certain marquee event can therefore be a big challenge. “I think Test cricket between us, England and India, is still very strong, it’s probably disrupting what’s going on in other parts of the world. So we want to make sure we continue to develop it and strengthen it. “The problem that we all face in world cricket is that there are only 365 days, and we probably need another month or two if we can do what we want,” he said.
