Cancellation of this year’s Indian Premier League would prove a massive financial hit

The IPL is staring at a first cancellation in its 12-year history. Cancellation for 2020 would mean a huge financial hit. It’s somewhere close, according to BCCI, to the billion-dollar mark.

Virat Kohli is not currently allowed to play in T20 leagues other than the IPL.

• Less is more appealing for bloated Big Bash: Watto
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Scrapping the money-spinning Indian Premier League this year because of the coronavirus pandemic would cost more than three-quarters of a billion dollars, but cutting players’ pay was not yet being considered.

The world’s richest Twenty20 tournament is staring at a first wipeout in its 12-year history after the original March 29 start date was postponed repeatedly.

Cancellation of the IPL for 2020 would mean a huge financial hit.

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Virat Kohli and his fellow Indian players won’t have their wages touched ... just yet.

“The BCCI is looking at a big revenue loss. In case the IPL does not take place, the loss would be close to 40 billion rupees ($770 million), or even more,” said Board of Control for Cricket in India treasurer Arun Dhumal.

India, like other cricket nations, is anxious to see a return to competitive international sport, but has to follow government orders and advice.

“We are not sure whether we will be able to have it this year,” he admitted.

A one-day international series against South Africa in March has already been cancelled but it is the IPL, which began in 2008, that generates the bulk of BCCI revenue and is thought to be

worth more than $11 billion a year to the Indian economy.

“We will only be able to figure out the exact revenue loss once we are sure of how many games we have lost,” said Dhumal.

The IPL brand value was estimated at $10.3 billion last year by the Duff and Phelps financial consultancy.

Indian broadcaster Star Sports paid more than $340 million for five years of TV rights up to 2022. But it was reportedly targeting $617 million of revenue in 2020 alone.

Gripped by an international lockdown, many national boards have been forced into cost-cutting.

Cricket Australia has laid off most of its staff while the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced pay cuts.

West Indies’ World T20 title defence is on shaky ground.

Other top sports, such as football’s English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga, have also seen players accept wage cuts.

But Dhumal said that it was hoped to avoid pay cuts for players.

“That would be the last thing that we would want to do at our end,” said Dhumal.

“That is why we are working (on) how much is the loss finally we have to pay.

“So once we are able to assess that then we might consider it, but it will be the last thing on our agenda.”

Dhumal said India’s tour of Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin in June, would only go ahead if the pandemic eases.

Doubts remain over the Twenty20 World Cup beginning in October in Australia and India’s four-Test, three-ODI tour afterwards.

Dhumal has been quoted as saying that Indian players would be ready to go into a two-week quarantine before the tour. But he said this would only apply if the World Cup were cancelled.

“In case we are already there for the T20 World Cup then there is no question of quarantine because we will already have been there for a month or so,” he said.

“Cricket Australia are also not in a position to come up with something concrete. A lot will depend on the government and the travel bans in place. Let’s see how they go about it.”

How India can lend helping hand to Big Bash

Virat Kohli is not currently allowed to play in T20 leagues other than the IPL.

Suresh Raina has urged India to soften its stance on releasing players to foreign Twenty20 competitions, such as the Big Bash League.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has blocked any active player under its umbrella, regardless of whether they have a national contract or are close to national selection, from joining a franchise outside the Indian Premier League (IPL).

A change in that policy is unlikely but would help raise the standard of foreign players in the BBL, one of many concerns that local broadcasters have flagged during recent years.

The prospect of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma padding up for the Sydney Sixers or Melbourne Stars is unthinkable for several reasons.

But Raina, an IPL stalwart who represented India on 322 occasions, is the sort of talent who could be on the BBL’s radar if the BCCI changed tack.

“I hope the BCCI can get together with the ICC or with franchises, and allow players who don’t have BCCI contracts to play in overseas leagues,” Raina said in an Instagram Live chat.

“Yusuf (Pathan), myself, Robin Uthappa - a lot of quality players (could) ... go overseas and learn a lot.

“We aren’t in the BCCI contracts list, some of us don’t have IPL contracts.

“We aren’t playing international cricket, and the competition in domestic cricket isn’t what it is at the international level.

“If we can get three months of quality cricket, whether it’s the CPL or the Big Bash ... it can help us stay ready (for a national call-up).”

The 33-year-old hasn’t played international cricket since 2018.

Suresh Raina believes stopping non-contacted Indians from playing overseas is a missed opportunity.

“Players from other countries are able to play in these leagues, and a lot of them have made international comebacks after doing well in them,” Raina said.

Clearing Indians to play in this summer’s BBL, set to run alongside a much- anticipated Test series between Australia and India, could help ensure Kohli’s team have match-ready replacements in case of any injuries.

Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa are among the Australian stars to have declared they would love to see Indians in the BBL, but Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts suggested last year it is “not something that we’re specifically focused on”.

Kohli will miss ‘magic’ if fans kept locked out

India captain Virat Kohli admits the “magical” atmosphere will be missing if the cricket season currently stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic resumes in empty stadiums.

Virat Kohli will miss the interaction with the fans if cricket is played behind closed doors.

The spread of the coronavirus has brought sport to a standstill and staging games without spectators has been suggested as one way to resume professional cricket.

India are set to visit Australia for four Tests and three one-day internationals later this year, games which are likely to be played in empty stadiums.

“Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created,” Kohli said on Star Sports.

“We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by.”

England all-rounder Ben Stokes said playing without fans in attendance would not dampen the competitive side of matches and Kohli agrees.

“I know matches will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are difficult to recreate,” he said.

Originally published as Cancellation of this year’s Indian Premier League would prove a massive financial hit