Sydney: The Big Bash League, Australia’s premier T20 tournament, will find a new home for its first match early next year. In order to gain more viewership and boost its popularity in India, the Big Bash League has decided that the first match of the of the tournament will be held in Chennai early next year. The formal announcement will be done by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, who will be slated to be in Australia from July 8th to July 10th.
New Owners?
Just like the SA20 and the ILT20, the Big Bash League is also going to be privatized very soon. It is said that many Indian companies, especially those who are already active in cricket, including the likes of Reliance, are in a lookout to buy a team in the BBL. The Big Bash League is known for its vibrant costumes, competitive pitches, and a dynamic environment. With iconic grounds like Melbourne, Sydney, and Gabba, the Big Bash League has a lot to offer to the viewers in India. And when a personality like the Prime Minister himself would formally announce announce the first match, it is likely that the Big Bash League viewership is going to skyrocket.
While there are some critics who criticize that privatizing the BBL will lead to it losing it’s essence and originality in the hyper competitive T20 scenario today, being privatized and gaining access to nearly a billion viewers is going to prove very profitable for Cricket Australia. It remains to be seen if Indian players will be allowed to play in the BBL or not. But given that Indian players are not allowed to play in SA20, and players can only play in overseas T20 leagues if they retire, case in point of Vijay Shankar who recently retired to play in the Lanka Premier League, it is likely that the Indian players will not be a part of the BBL next year.
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