Cricket Australia Eyeing India’s Vast Market A Natural Step: Dhumal on BBL Debut

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal on Monday said Cricket Australia’s decision to bring the Big Bash League (BBL) to India is a “natural step”, given the country’s status as the world’s biggest cricket market .

The BBL is set to host its inaugural match in India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai this December , as Cricket Australia looks to expand its reach and tap into the sport’s largest fan base outside Australia.

Dhumal said it was understandable that overseas leagues are increasingly focusing on India for both commercial growth and global visibility .

“See, India is the biggest cricket market. So definitely, Cricket Australia would want to capitalise on that,” Dhumal told PTI Videos. “And we wish them all the best for their Big Bash inaugural game this season.”

He added that India’s leadership role in world cricket makes it an important hub for the sport’s international expansion. According to him, such initiatives also contribute to strengthening the overall structure of global cricket.

“India, being the leader in world cricket, has a lot of scope to add to world cricket,” he said.

Dhumal further linked the development to the broader transformation of the sport, especially with cricket set to return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 . He said this inclusion is expected to significantly boost the game’s global footprint.

“Since now cricket is becoming part of Olympics, it augurs very well for the game, for its global footprint to reach to the length and breadth across the globe,” he noted.

The IPL chairman also expressed confidence that Cricket Australia would have carefully assessed the commercial and sporting benefits before deciding to stage the BBL opener in India, expecting it to provide a strong boost to the tournament’s visibility and audience reach.