India are set to tour Australia for a Test series later this year. (Source: CricketComAu/Twitter)
Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Kevin Roberts on Tuesday hinted at the board’s desire to conduct the five-Test series against India later this year, but it be behind closed doors.
Roberts also revealed that the Indian team led by Virat Kohli could be housed at a ‘quarantine hub’ such as Adelaide Oval’s yet-to-be-completed 128-room hotel. This would allow India to train and play the Test campaign without any additional travel.
“At this point, we won’t rule anything out in terms of the Indian series,” Roberts told a video media conference today.
“Along with the BCCI, the Indian players and their support staff, we want to stage a series that inspires the cricket world, whether or not there are people at the venue or not sitting in the stands.
“So we’ll explore all viable options, many of which wouldn’t have been contemplated until now. We are in a different world where all of a sudden we’re being grateful for what we have rather than lament about things that we don’t,” he said.
“What we are working on is our partnership with the BCCI. Whether that be about the pursuit of five-Test series in the future or whether it be about finding the most creative ways to ensure that together we can deliver an international Test series that inspires the cricket world through out next summer.
“That’s our focus. And we are planning for that and trying everything we can to make that happen,” Roberts said.
Roberts also stated that cricketing boards of the two countries have also deliberated on growing the regular Border-Gavaskar Trophy series – which have historically featured four Tests – to five matches.
“We’ve discussed a shared desire to evolve to a five-Test series between Australia and India in the future, just like both our nations play five Tests series against England,” he said.
“It’s something we’re both committed to, in principle, in the future and the big question is whether or not we can bring that in before the next Future Tours (Program) cycle in 2023,” the Australian cricket board’s head said.
‘Australia and India can swap hosting of T20 World Cup’
Meanwhile, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has come with an interesting suggestion that India can host this year’s competition if the Covid-19 curve flattens, and Australia can host the 2021 edition.
“As we all know, Australia has barred foreigners from entering the country till September 30. The tournament starts mid-October so it is looking difficult at the moment,” Gavaskar told India Today.
“Next year the T20 World Cup is in India. If India and Australia come to an agreement and the COVID-19 curve in India flattens out, they can swap. It can be held in India this October-November and next year in Australia around the same time,” he said.