The prospect of a five-Test series between Australia and India is gaining traction as cricket authorities contemplate ways of making up for lost time when the peak of the coronavirus pandemic has passed.

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts says all options will be considered for hosting India, the sport’s major income generator, in December and January. That could include playing all games between Australia and Virat Kohli’s India squad in one venue.

Australia is also pushing ahead with plans to stage the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup, which is slated to run Oct. 18 to Nov.15.

“If you contemplate the prospect of the international season in particular being affected, we have an issue of (losing revenue of) hundreds of millions of dollars on our hands,” Roberts said during a teleconference on Tuesday. “We’ll be doing everything possible to launch and stage a season in 2020-21.”

That could include a T20 World Cup devoid of fans at games.

“What we do know is that the bigger returns from the broadcast rights around the event that are generated by the ICC are very important to all of our counterparts around the cricket world,” Roberts said. “So it’s incumbent on us to do everything possible to stage and host the T20 World Cup.”

All sports leagues are on hold in Australia and strict border and travel restrictions have been imposed amid the pandemic, including bans on international visitors. The National Rugby League staged two rounds in empty stadiums last month before the competition was postponed. The NRL is planning to relaunch the season in late May in a heavily modified competition, although there are strong critics of the push. The Australian rules Australian Football League played one round before the suspension, and is hoping to restart in June. The women’s T20 World Cup final, which Australia won by 85 runs over India in front of more than 86,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 8, was the last major sports event staged Down Under before the strict social distancing rules were imposed.

Cricket is in the off-season in Australia, but the game’s governing body has already stood down most staff and slashed salaries in case the situation deteriorates.

Australia and India have regularly met in four-Test series but administrators in both countries want to expand on the growing rivalry. Australia’s oldest and fiercest rivalry is the Ashes series against England, which is played over five tests.

Roberts said the relationship between Australian officials and the Board of Control for Cricket in India is strong, and both sides are committed to stages five-test series in the future. The lucrative Indian Premier League T20 competition has been postponed, and the timing of that could be a factor in scheduling.

“We won’t rule anything out in terms of the Indian series. Along with the BCCI and Indian players, we want to stage a series that inspires the cricket world, whether or not there are people in the stands,” he said. “We need to face into all possibilities. Fortunately, we have a little bit of time to work out scenarios.”

‘swap T20 WC hosting rights’

In a bid to reduce the effect of coronavirus crisis on world cricket, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has come up with a isolution with respect to the T20 World Cup that is scheduled to be held in Australia later this year.

“At the moment, as we all know, Australia has barred foreigners from entering the country till the 30th of September. The tournament is starting from mid-October or the 3rd week of October, so it’s looking a bit difficult at the moment,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today.

The legendary India opener suggested that India can host the T20 World Cup in 2020 while Australia can host the next edition, which is originally slated to be held in India next year.

This is contingent to virus threat being minimalist in the India

“If it can be done... next year’s T20 World Cup is in India. If it can be done... where India and Australia come to an agreement... in case the curve in India flattens out and India and Australia swap... so the T20 World Cup is in India in October-November this year and Australia in October-November next year, then it can happen,” he said.

Gavaskar also batted for the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be held just before the T20 World Cup, so that players get enough match practice before the multi-national event. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the cash-rich league has been currently postponed by the BCCI.

“If it is going to happen that way, then maybe what can happen is the IPL can be held just prior to the T20 World Cup so that it’s enough practice for the players to have T20 World Cup,” Gavaskar said.

Agencies