ODI series between India and Australia in jeopardy over Cricket Australia pay dispute

Despite CA and the ACA not having come to terms regarding the pay dispute, both parties have realized that the slated India tour in October may cause major problems. In such a case where the Australian cricketers remain unemployed, their tour to India will have to be called off. CA and Australia’s top cricketers will hence have to work around the discord and avoid a major disaster.

The BCCI has in the past demanded colossal sums in damages. Back in 2014, the West Indies left India in the middle of their tour over a pay fight and were asked by the BCCI to cough up $42 million. Given its current position, CA cannot afford to back off from a promised ODI series against India – the consequences will be hazardous.

“Should Bangladesh be scrapped, there would be broadcast rights issues for CA, but nowhere near the drama which would be sparked should the subsequent One-day series in India be dumped. There is no way CA would want to upset the BCCI. That would be a disaster. This Indian series is the big one. Players and CA could live without the A tour and Bangladesh,” an agent said on Saturday.

Australian cricket in deep waters

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the scheduled Australia A tour of South Africa will be scrapped, but the board will look to come to the common ground regarding the ODI series in India.

“Players and player agents have indicated there is little hope this month’s Australia A tour of South Africa will go ahead, while the Test tour of Bangladesh in August is also set to be scrapped unless there is a significant breakthrough between the Australian Cricketers Association and Cricket Australia,” the report said.

“Player agents told Fairfax Media there appear to be few repercussions for CA to scrap the Australia A tour, although the world’s most powerful board, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), may not look kindly on having Australia withdraw from a One-day tri-series at the back end of the trip,” it added.

Top Australian cricketers had their first day of unemployment on July 1 after a deadline for a new MoU expired. While the India tour is scheduled for October, Australia’s biggest responsibility this year is hosting the Ashes. If the Ashes are cancelled, there would be huge financial implications, along with irreparable damage to the reputations of CA and the players.