India want to play Aussies more often
India want to play top-ranked Australia more often to exploit the commercial value of the intense rivalry, a senior Indian board official said.
"I had a discussion with CA (Cricket Australia) CEO James Sutherland. Both of us have recognised that the India-Australia series should be played frequently," Indian board secretary Niranjan Shah told The Hindu newspaper on Tuesday.
"It will bring a new dimension to India-Australia cricket and it will also become a big commercial success," he added.
The Test series against Australia for the Border-Gavaskar trophy has grown bigger than the one against traditional rivals Pakistan in India, a country of 1.1 billion people with the largest global cricket audience and multi-million dollar sponsorship deals.
"This has to be incorporated in the (ICC's) Future Tour Programme. But the BCCI as a whole has to take a decision on this," Shah said. Hosts Australia won 2-1 a four-test series last month, which ended in acrimony after India spinner Harbhajan Singh was charged for allegedly racially abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds.
The Indian off-spinner was later cleared at an appeal.
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