Greenberg Signals Opening to Stage England‑Australia Test in India

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg says he is open to the idea of hosting an England‑Australia Test in India, citing the market’s potential for extra content.

England and Australia have contested the Ashes since 1882 and currently alternate hosting duties every four years. The most recent series took place in the 2025‑26 southern summer, where Australia secured a 4‑1 victory. The next Ashes series is scheduled for the 2027 English summer. In addition, the two teams will play a pink‑ball Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground next March to commemorate the 150th anniversary of their first meeting, with the Ashes not at stake.

“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 be certainly open for consideration.”

India’s market strength was highlighted in an ECB report earlier this year, which projected English cricket to record a profit following a recent white‑ball tour by India. By contrast, the ECB anticipates losses in 2027 despite hosting both the men’s and women’s Ashes. “Attention should be drawn to the fact that the ECB’s revenues are inherently cyclical, reflecting the scheduling of high‑value broadcast series by opposition,” the report noted.

Any potential relocation of a Test would require approval from both CA and the ECB, together with cooperation from the BCCI. However, with the rise of franchise cricket and the expanding footprint of the Indian Premier League—both in its flagship competition and through its growing network into other countries, including The Hundred—Greenberg believes such a move could further cement Test cricket’s role in the modern ecosystem. He also acknowledged the difficulty of finding additional space in an already packed schedule.

“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,” he added.

“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.”

Source link