Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said that the absence of Virat Kohli wont have financial implications on the India-Australia Test series. The Australian media and the broadcasters built up their promotions of the series on Kohli’s dominance taking on the Australian team. However, that won’t affect the series feels Hockley. Kohli has been granted parental leave by the BCCI and will be missing the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane Test matches.
Meanwhile, Hockley congratulated Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma on their parenthood and said that they board id just happy with the presence of the Indian skipper.
“I think the first thing is that we’re delighted for Virat and Anushka [Sharma] for the imminent birth of their child. We respect Virat’s decision and the BCCI to grant him leave. We’re just delighted he’ll be here to captain the side for the ODIs and the T20Is and the first Test” Hockley said.
Virat Kohli’s Absence Will Have No Bearing On The Test Series: Nick Hockley
He further said that Kohli’s absence won’t have any financial bearing on the series.
“He’ll bring competitive leadership that we’ve seen before and have become accustomed to watching. I don’t think his absence will have a financial bearing.”
The Cricket Australia CEO further emphasised the importance of the series in a cricket-marred year by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has disrupted the entire cricketing calendar and this is the most relishing rivalry in cricket that is happening this year.
“This series is of great importance to world cricket and Australian cricket. One of the features of the pandemic has been how the international cricket community has supported each other. Even we had travelled to England in September, and we are extremely grateful to the BCCI to make this tour happen” Hockley said.
Hockley further said that though the arrangement of the series was a costly affair still they are happy that the series is finally on.
“We’re taking precautions and using charter planes. We had an endeavour of movement of the returning IPL players from the UAE. But precautions and measures have run into several million dollars.”
India will be playing three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests vs Australia in the next two months. The first ODI will be played in Sydney next Friday.