CA ‘open’ to bold plan to take cricket’s most famous rivalry abroad
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg is “open” to the idea of hosting a one-off Test match between Australia and England in India.
The admission follows confirmation this season’s BBL opener between the Renegades and Scorchers will be played in Chennai.
Then-England captain Ben Stokes shakes hands with Australia captain Pat Cummins after losing the Ashes. Getty
Speaking on the BBC’s Stumped podcast, Greenberg said there were currently no plans to host an Australia v England Test in the subcontinent, but conceded there was an appetite for more “content” in the region.
“Our relationship with the ECB but also the BCCI is very strong, and clearly there are opportunities in India to put more content into certain areas,” he said.
“It’s not something we’re currently planning, but it would be certainly open to consideration.
“I think Test cricket between (Australia), England and India is still very strong – probably bucking the trend of some other parts of the world – so we want to make sure we continue to grow and strengthen it.”
While there was no suggestion an England-Australia Test in India would be part of an Ashes series, Greenberg conceded finding time in the calendar to play a one-off Test would be difficult enough as it is.
“The challenge for all of us in global cricket is there’s only 365 days in a schedule and we probably need another month or two (to) generate some of the content that we’re trying to,” he said.
“(The) number of ICC world events, World Cups, franchise cricket … plus bilateral cricket, (has put) an enormous strain on players and opportunity and created some real challenges with the schedule, something that we’re talking regularly about.”
Australia and England will play a one-off 150th Anniversary Test at the MCG next March, ahead of an England Ashes series three months later.
Greenberg said the first three days of the day-night Test had already sold out. He also confirmed an invitation had been extended to the royal family, including King Charles, but suggested it had not yet been formally accepted.
Queen Elizabeth II attended the Centenary Test in 1976, and was presented to the players at tea on day five. Greenberg said should the King attend, Cricket Australia would not wait until day five to do the same.
Following the disastrous two-day Boxing Day Ashes Test last summer, Greenberg said Cricket Australia and MCG curators were already planning to have less grass on the pitch in an effort to lengthen the match.
