TAMIL NADU CRICKET ASSOCIATION (TNCA) has confirmed receiving a proposal to stage the season-opening match of the Big Bash League (BBL) in Chennai. A delegation from Cricket Australia (CA) met TNCA officials recently to explore the possibility of hosting the opener at Chepauk. The association is understood to have left the final call to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
A TNCA official told Cricbuzz that discussions were held with an Australian delegation comprising two BBL representatives and one CA official, who visited Chennai late last week to review the proposal.
If approved, the match is likely to be held in December. However, the BCCI has yet to provide any indication, and is believed to be assessing the broader situation before making a decision. The board has not yet responded to the TNCA, according to the report.
It is understood that the Perth Scorchers could be one of the teams involved in the Chennai fixture, if the plan is cleared, largely due to favourable time zones. Perth is only two and a half hours ahead of Indian Standard Time. As defending champions, the Scorchers would also be logical contenders to feature in the season opener, although the BBL does not traditionally begin its season with the reigning titleholders, unlike the Indian Premier League.
One potential obstacle is the presence of Pakistani players. While the Scorchers currently have none in their squad, their opponents might, and securing Indian visas for Pakistani cricketers can be challenging.
