Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts has said that the idea of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly for a four-nation ‘ODI Super Series’ as “innovative” but he didn’t give any commitment. Sourav Ganguly had said earlier that India will play with England, Australia and one other top cricketing side in an annual ODI series starting from 2021. The move is considered as a counterpart to prevent ICC from implementing their plan.
“I think it’s an example of the innovative thinking coming out of the BCCI with Sourav Ganguly as president,” Roberts said. “In his very short time, only a couple of months, we have already seen India commit to and host a day-night Test in Kolkata, so a brilliant result there. And now a suggestion around the Super Series, another potential innovation.”
The CA CEO said he will be in India next month and Bangladesh to further talk about the future cricket calendar. He also said he had discussions with New Zealand and Pakistan too.
“We’re really respectful of the importance of our international cricket relationships and our role as a leader in world cricket in supporting the development of cricket in other countries. We’re looking forward to hosting Afghanistan next year and that is an example of our commitment to world cricket. We have discussions with all member nations of the ICC and take really seriously our role to partner them and working together with them to grow the game around the world,” he said.
“Cricket is more or less a religion on the sub-continent. It’s absolutely the favourite sport in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We’ve got to try and make sure we see the game emerging in countries all around the world,” he added.
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He said that a crowd of more than 80,000 on the Boxing Day at the MCG would help ensure that the fixture between them and New Zealand would become a far more regular now.
“We really value the partnership with New Zealand. We are already having some high-level discussions around the cricket calendar from 2023 to 2031 and we absolutely hope and look forward to hosting New Zealand at a Boxing Day Test well before another 32 years pass,” Kevin Roberts said.
“They are a really important partner and nation in the world of cricket. The reality is there is only one venue in Australia that can host over 80,000 people on Boxing Day as the MCG did yesterday. It was just a picture. That’s something we are really grateful for and respect. The MCG Test is one of the two most iconic Tests on the planet, along with the Lord’s Test,” he shared.
“Given the importance of the MCG Test to world cricket, I would like to think it will remain here in perpetuity. There is a bit of work to be done on that front. But you would have to say it is best for world cricket to have a Boxing Day Test in Melbourne for years to come,” Kevin Roberts concluded.
