India open to playing entire Test series in Adelaide says BCCI official


India open to playing entire Test series in Adelaide says BCCI official

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A top official of the Indian cricket board (BCCI) told that if the situation remains uniform, team India will play the entire Test series in a ‘biosecure’ at Adelaide against Australia.

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A tour of four Tests and three one day internationals is planned to held between India and Australia in December and January apparently worth A$300 million ($193.77 million) in broadcast revenue for Cricket Australia (CA).

Australian vice-captain Travis Head supported the idea of playing the entire Test series behind closed doors with no spectators at Adelaide Oval due to Coronavirus pandemic.

“The boys would be very keen to go back to the field,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal said in an interview.

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“If the situation allows only one venue for all the matches, so be it. Maybe when a lockdown is lifted, it would be the new normal that everyone has to follow. There’s talk of matches without spectators. Nobody would like that, but if it comes to that and there’s no other way, one may have to do that. It’s still six-seven months down the line. We’ll take the right call in the best interest of the safety and health of our boys.”

The Indian Premier League (IPL) also suspended due to the novel coronavirus as the world’s richest cricket board (BCCI) will be in a loss worth $530 million if it fails to find another direction for the lucrative tournament.

The United Arab Emirates and Sri Lankan Cricket Board have also given a proposal to BCCI to organize the Twenty20 tournament but BCCI has not given any thoughts on it.

“The Indian government has put in travel restrictions. So even if somebody makes an offer, you can’t travel there. Where is the question of holding the tournament?” Dhumal said.

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Due to the pandemic, Twenty20 World Cup is also at risk which is planned to be held in October in Australia.

Dhumal proposed BCCI to slot Indian Premier League (IPL) in the October-November window.

“If IPL has to happen, there has to be a clear-cut window of 30-40 days,” he said.

“If T20 World Cup does not happen, and there’s a window available, then it would be worked out, subject to restrictions of course.”

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He said that the postponement of all cricket action forced to think of getting players for the IPL would be a major headache in any other window.

“We may want our foreign players but there could be some tours happening, some bilateral series going on.

“And their availability is subject to so many conditions – whether foreign boards would allow their players to travel. A few countries may still be in lockdown.”

“As of now, everyone is engaged for the T20 World Cup. If that tournament is not there, then all boards have their players available (for IPL),” Dhumal added.

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