Change cricket forever
internationals. Such stresses could become even more acute, with growing support in India for the IPL to expand, probably from 2023.
Covid-19 may well accelerate the rise of club cricket. Overseas travel could become more cumbersome and expensive, making domestic competitions more important – and potentially encouraging boards such as England’s to embrace private investment in competitions.
Greater emphasis on domestic cricket will contribute to greater inequality, with the economic advantages enjoyed by India and England – and, to a lesser degree, Australia – becoming even more pronounced.
At a recent ICC call, Tom Harrison, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s chief executive, described world cricket as a family of nations, stressing the need for unity. And while there are promising signs, whether the family can stick together will depend on decisions for the collective good being taken.
Naturally, this is a discussion about money. Countries from outside the big three will call for the ICC to make its global distribution model more equitable – which is linked to debates about the shape of the global calendar from 2023 – and for the IPL to do more to compensate boards for giving the competition a de facto window.
Economic imbalances are such that West Indies, England’s first opponents this summer, earn £12 million a year from broadcast rights, compared to England’s £220 million. Grave has already advocated that touring teams receive one-fifth of what the hosts earn for a series. There may also be calls for the ICC to do more to safeguard test cricket.
Who leads the ICC is an intriguing point, with reports that Sourav Ganguly, the Indian cricket board president, may now run for chairman in elections later this year.
Covid-19 will change the global game forever.
‘‘The calendar will look very different,’’ says one insider. ‘‘They’ve got to rip it up and start again and use this as the opportunity to do so.’’