The Ashes has always been contested in Australia and England, but who would have thought cricket’s oldest rivalry could one day be played in India. Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Todd Greenberg has said the board is open to considering the idea of staging a commemorative Ashes Test in the world’s biggest cricket market.
Australia and England are scheduled to play a one-off pink-ball Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March next year to celebrate 150 years since the first Test match was played in 1877. While that fixture will remain in Australia, Greenberg suggested similar commemorative events could eventually be explored elsewhere.
“We’d have to be open to consider all options,” Greenberg told the BBC’s Stumped podcast. “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. That’s not something we are currently planning, but it would certainly be open for consideration.”
India’s Growing Appeal
Greenberg’s remarks come as Cricket Australia continues to strengthen its presence in India. This December, the Big Bash League will stage their opening match in Chennai between Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers, another step towards engaging Indian audiences.
The commercial attraction is obvious. India has become the centre of the cricket economy, with unmatched television audiences, sponsorship opportunities and fan engagement. Cricket boards across the world increasingly rely on tours involving India to boost revenues, making the country an attractive destination for marquee events beyond bilateral cricket.
Finding Space Won’t Be Easy
Despite the commercial appeal, Greenberg admitted scheduling remains the biggest challenge.
India’s calendar is already packed with bilateral series, ICC tournaments and the IPL, which is expected to begin earlier than usual next year. Fitting another five-day Test into the schedule would require careful planning.
“I think Test cricket between us, England and India is still very strong, probably bucking the trend as to other parts of the world. So we want to make sure we continue to grow it and strengthen it,” Greenberg said.
“The challenge for all of us in global cricket is there are only 365 days in a schedule, and we probably need another month or two if we actually can generate the content we want to.”
For now, the 150th anniversary Test will be played at the MCG as planned. However, Greenberg’s comments indicate that Cricket Australia is willing to think beyond tradition.
