Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said that there is a 9 out of 10 chance that India will tour Australia for a four-match Test series later this year.
India are scheduled to play four Test
matches in Australia later this year.
There is a 9 out of 10
chance that India will make the trip Down Under for a four-Test series later
this year, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said trying to
downplay the uncertainty triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. CA is currently
under lot of financial stress and is desperate to have the India series,
scheduled in which will fill its coffers with AUD 300 million from broadcast
rights after body had to cut costs due to the pandemic.
The
series is scheduled between October and January 2021.
"I
guess there's no such thing as certainty in today's world so I can't say 10
(out of 10), but I'm going to say nine out of 10," Roberts told News
Corp.
"With
the variable being, who would know whether we can have crowds ... I'd be really
surprised if we can't get the Indian tour away.
"But
I wouldn't, hand on heart suggest we'll have full crowds from the start. We'll
just have to see how that goes," the under-pressure chief executive
said.
However, when it comes to
away tours, Roberts wants a bio-secure environment which might prompt Cricket
Australia to explore options of sending a team for a white ball series in
England.
But
before that, the CA would wait and watch how the Pakistan and the West Indies
tours of England pan out in terms of health safety measures.
"I
think there's some chance we could send a team over," Roberts said.
"Obviously
we won't jeopardise the safety of the players, but the best test of that is
that the West Indian and Pakistan tours of England before we're due to tour. We
hope they go off without a hitch," Roberts said.
While
the India tour is a lucrative one, it is unlikely that Australia would host
Afghanistan for a one-off Test, which is not a part of the World Test
Championship schedule.
The
chances of T20 World Cup in Australia are also looking dim in the prevailing
circumstances as it could either be shifted to 2021 while India hosts its
edition in 2022.