Australia broadcasters frustrated with CA despite India agreeing for home summer Tests

Australian cricket players are set to play their first international series during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as they gear up for the England tour to play the 3-match ODI and T20I series next month. While Australian players are currently slogging out on the field, Cricket Australia (CA) have come under severe criticism over their uncertainty regarding their cricket's summer schedule.  According to a report by Reuters, Channel Seven boss James Warburton attacked Cricket Australia on Tuesday, saying that the board's uncertainty over the summer schedule was proving to be “frustrating” for the broadcaster.

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Australia cricket board criticised for delaying their final schedule for the season 

Cricket Austrakua has already zeroed down on the India vs Australia 2020 four-match Test series starting in December as well as dates for the men’s and women’s domestic T20 tournaments. But the board is yet to finalise the schedule due to travel curbs and border controls during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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According to the report, Warburton said on an investor call on Tuesday that Cricket Australia needed to follow the lead of Australia’s major football leagues, which reshuffled their schedules and started the competition. He said that Cricket Australia needs to be sure of the season they wish to deliver and stop talking about international borders being closed.

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Channel Seven is in the second year of a record five-year rights deal for Australian cricket with pay TV provider Foxtel and Warburton said that the company has paid a huge price for the rights and as a result, they need to get a clear idea about the season to start making broadcast and business plans.

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Cricket Australia interim chief executive Nick Hockley in his statement said the board would announce revisions to the schedule for the home summer once it had “all necessary government exemptions and biosecurity measures” in place. Hockley further said that Cricket Australia is confident of providing fantastic content this summer.

India vs Australia 2020 schedule  

The India vs Australia 2020 four-match Test series gets underway on December 3. The first Test will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane. The second Test match at the Adelaide Oval will be a Day-Night affair while the last two matches will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground respectively. The India vs Australia 2020 Test series will be followed by a three-match ODI series as well. 

India vs Australia 2020: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly's request for a shorter quarantine period

Apart from confirming India's tour of Australia later this year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly had requested Cricket Australia to reduce the quarantine period for the Indian team. The 48-year-old had also asked for a shorter quarantine period suggesting that he doesn't want the Indian players to sit in their hotel rooms for a long period of time.

However, according to ESPNcricinfo, CA turned down Sourav Ganguly's request with Nick Hockley saying that CA will ensure that the Indian players will get the best of training facilities within the quarantine zone, allowing them to prepare for the matches in the best possible manner. India will have to undergo a two-week quarantine period, most likely in Adelaide, once they touch down in Australia for the much-anticipated India vs Australia 2020 series later this year.

Cover Image: Cricket Australia / Twitter