India in push to trade ODIs for mini IPL if T20 World Cup is postponed

India is set to put the squeeze on Australia to break its traditional domestic rules if it wants to guarantee a game-saving $300m summer.

David Warner was one of the many stars pulled from the Australian summer to play three one-day internationals against India in January. Picture: AFP

India are set to put the squeeze on Australia to break their traditional domestic rules if they want to ­guarantee a game-saving $300 million summer.

The cricket superpower is poised to agree to two additional one-day internationals this January to boost Cricket Australia’s coffers on top of four Test matches this summer. But they want their backs scratched first.

Expectation is mounting that the T20 World Cup, scheduled for October, will be postponed, with the timeslot to be taken over by the all-powerful Indian empire, which is pushing for a mini IPL to recoup some of the $800m it lost when the tournament was postponed in April.

If that happens, India would expect Aussie stars including Pat Cummins, David Warner, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell to be made available (government flight restrictions allowing).

This is a mighty power play, given the proposed October-November IPL would clash with the start of the one-day Cup and the Sheffield Shield.

As a rule, CA does not permit its stars to play in T20 leagues abroad during its own domestic summer, but the heat would be on to bow down, given the financial oblivion it might risk by rocking the boat with India and diluting the IPL juggernaut on the eve of a critical Test series.

The threat may not be explicit, but the BCCI is aware of its power in negotiations. It was only in January Australia were forced to bail out of their home summer to tour the subcontinent for fear of repercussions.

Australia’s domestic competition would be watered down and red-ball preparation for the Test series against India could be compromised for both teams.

But the BCCI is willing to give plenty in return for these sacrifices. It’s understood India have all but rejected Australia’s request for a fifth Test.

However, they are ready to throw in two extra ODIs, which are worth up to $60m each.

If the World Cup is postponed, Australia’s return from the coronavirus could mean a white-ball international tour to COVID-19-hit England in September, straight to the IPL in ­October, and then straight into home Tests against Afghanistan and India.

Rescheduling the T20 World Cup to February would create a minefield for international cricket, and India made it clear that bilateral series must be the priority to financially save boards smashed by the effects of the pandemic.

“Yes, easily that adds more money to any cricket board,” BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told Cricbuzz.

“If all of us are back to our feet, then only we’ll be able to help each other … it’s very important all the boards are in a healthy financial position.”

Cricket Australia is privately supportive of the World Cup moving, not only to appease India but because Australian sports are resolving to work ­together through the corona­virus crisis.

CA is keen to get out of the NRL and AFL’s way in October, and in return the footy codes would clear the decks for cricket should the World Cup be moved to February.

However, shifting to February is hugely complicated. For a start, Australia is due to tour South Africa, and England to tour India, that month, not to mention the fact there’s another T20 World Cup already scheduled for next October.

The World Cup committee insists that no decisions have been made by the ICC, but there’s growing speculation a final call could be made on the fate of the tournament in the coming weeks.

Although the tournament is scheduled to be staged in Australia, CA won’t be severely impacted financially by the World Cup not going ahead — certainly not compared to how they would be crippled by India bailing out on a Test summer worth $300m.

The Daily Telegraph