"The truth is that you make money when India goes" - Aakash Chopra on the 5-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Aakash Chopra has pointed out that the big bucks Cricket Australia makes from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ensured that it has changed to a five-Test affair in the Future Tours Program (FTP).
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the FTP for the 2023-2027 cycle on Wednesday, August 17. As per the schedule, Team India will visit Australia for a five-match Test series in 2024-25.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on the FTP released by ICC. He had the following to say about the India-Australia Test series:
"The FTP has been announced and there are a lot of matches in that. The Border Gavaskar Trophy is now going to be like the next Ashes, where there will be five Test matches. The truth is that you make money when India goes and that money is extremely important for Australian cricket."
Chopra highlighted that mushrooming T20 leagues across the world have not taken a toll on international cricket. The former Indian opener elaborated:
"We all were feeling that it will become difficult, so many leagues are there - the IPL, BBL and The Hundred have almost created their own windows - so how will bilateral ODIs and T20Is happen? It is there, it is more than the ongoing cycle."
Many cricket experts believe that the growth of T20 leagues will herald the end of ODI cricket and bilateral T20Is. However, the ICC have scheduled 281 ODIs and 323 T20Is to be played in the next four-year cycle.
"I am slightly worried about South Africa" - Aakash Chopra
While observing that India will be playing a decent number of matches, Chopra was slightly concerned for South Africa. He reasoned:
"India is going to play 141 matches in all - 38 Tests, 42 ODIs and 61 T20Is. I see Bangladesh playing the most number of matches, where they are playing 34 Test matches, a total of 150 matches. South Africa, full Test nation, is playing the least matches - 113. I am slightly worried about South Africa."
Chopra concluded by opining that the likely overlap between the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2025 might hurt the latter. The famous commentator said:
"In the new FTP, we have also come to know that the IPL and the PSL might actually happen at the same time in 2025. So it is going to be slightly difficult for the PSL, that's what I feel."
PSL is set to clash with IPL on 2025 with the Champions Trophy scheduled in February.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in February 2025, which will resultantly lead to the PSL being pushed. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is looking to host the T20 league between March and May that year, which will clash with the IPL.