Debasis Sen, Melbourne: The return of banned Australian duo Steve Smith and David Warner may spark tensions between Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia (CA). BCCI’s closest enemy i.e., Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may have a role in it. How?
Pakistan Cricket Board’s proposed pre-World Cup series against Australia coincides with two days after Steve Smith and David Warner’s ban is lifted. According to the clause, both cricketers will be eligible to play for their country two days after their bans is lifted.
The PCB proposal understood to have been issued to CA is for a five-match series starting on March 31 and ending on April 13, perfectly timed to coincide with Smith and Warner becoming ‘selectable’ again on March 29.
Should CA agree, it would put them on a potential war path with the all-powerful Indian Premier League billionaires desperate for Smith and Warner to headline an already depleted tournament. Cricket Australia are yet to make any decisions on the proposal.
CA have already signalled a World Cup training camp to clash with the back end of the IPL which has prompted a blacklisting of almost all Australian players at the auction, bar Smith and Warner who were already signed.
As much as Smith and Warner would jump at a chance to be guarantee their places for the World Cup, the schedule being proposed by Pakistan could prove another million-dollar whack to their back pockets.
It’s been estimated the disgraced pair have already lost upwards of $7 million from the ball-tampering scandal, and pulling out of their $2m IPL deals would be another blow.
Cricket Australia were leaning towards allowing Smith and Warner to play IPL when they thought dates for the Pakistan series would preclude them from being available until the final two matches.
But under a proposal allowing them to play the full series, the game changes.
Despite their standing as world class superstars, there is a huge risk associated with bringing Smith and Warner back cold for a World Cup as their first international-standard competition for 14 months.