The CEO of Cricket Australia (CA), Nick Hockley, feels that India’s upcoming five Test matches in Australia can be largely comparable in commercial terms with the Ashes, which is the pinnacle for them in any calendar year, even more than perhaps the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC).
The Blue Brigade is aiming to win their third consecutive series win in that country, having won their maiden one in 2018-19 under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and followed it up in 2020-21 under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane when they were behind from the very first game.
It was the 2014-15 season when Australia earned their last series win in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), and since then had gone on to lose their next four editions, two each at home and away.
Nick Hockley compares India’s tour of Australia and the Ashes
A home series against India is a key draw in CA’s AUD$ 1.5 billion broadcast deal with Foxtel and Seven Network. Given the large Indian diaspora, the commercial appeal of the visiting players, and the excitement of the series, the tourism and investment opportunities always make it commercial for them.
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In an e-mail interview, the CEO of Cricket Australia drew a line in making a comparison between India’s tour of Australia and the Ashes in commercial terms and the huge broadcast audiences.
“The Border Gavaskar Trophy and the Ashes are both massive tours on the Australian cricket calendar and are largely comparable in commercial terms, with fantastic crowds and huge broadcast audiences for each.” Hockley expressed in the interview. “Ticket sales from India are already six times greater than for the previous non-COVID series.”
There has been some news in the past where it claims that Australia offers soft and easy tracks to India because the latter pulling a large number of crowds. However, before 2018, the only time India didn’t finish as the second-best side in Tests in Australia was in 2003, losing three successive series in between.
However, the thought process changed the moment a second-string playing eleven without much experience got the better of the full-strength Australian team in the series decided at the Gabba in Brisbane. Nick also looked at how the day-night Tests have grown the audience numbers.
“Australia’s iconic cricket venues each have their unique pitch characteristics and conditions, which is what makes the series so intriguing, including, in more recent years, the introduction of the day-night Test.” He elaborated on avoiding the pitch debate.
The trip for India will start with an intra-squad practice game for two days before they start the series on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Having ten days before the next game, which is supposed to be the day-night affair in Adelaide, bringing back the nightmares of 2021, the visiting side will play a tour game with Prime Minister’s XI.
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The second Test kicks off on December 06, while the third game will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 18. After a week’s break, they will start the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in Melbourne on December 26, whereas the New Year’s Test will take place on January 03, 2025, at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The whole responsibility for the Indian team will be on their senior batters, and especially the bowlers to pick up 20 wickets in the game, something they did in the last two tours in 2018-19 and 2021-22.