Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday presented former Australia captain Steve Waugh with a nearly two-decade-old photograph of their first meeting, dating back to his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, during a visit to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, PM Modi also witnessed the unveiling of a landmark initiative aimed at further strengthening sporting ties between India and Australia.
The leaders announced that the Melbourne Renegades will take on the Perth Scorchers at Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on December 12 to open the 2026-27 Big Bash League (BBL) season. The match will mark the first time a BBL fixture is played outside Australia, with the Renegades serving as the home team. It is scheduled to take place after the fourth day’s play of the opening Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth.
The initiative has received joint support from the governments of India and Australia, with partial funding from the Centre for Australia-India Relations as part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral ties. Chennai was selected as the venue with the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Australian Consul-General Silai Zaki, reflecting the city’s rich cricketing heritage and the popularity of the Chennai Super Kings.
The BBL will become the first overseas domestic cricket league to stage an official match in India. Although Australian teams such as the Perth Scorchers, Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes previously played in India during the now-defunct Champions League T20, this will be the first official BBL fixture on Indian soil. Cricket Australia had earlier taken a Sheffield Shield match to New Zealand in 2016.
Cricket Australia General Manager of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said staging the season opener in India reflected the BBL’s growing global appeal and the strong cricketing bond between the two countries. He said the match is expected to become the most-watched game in the history of any Australian domestic sporting league.
Australian broadcasters will deploy commentary teams to Chennai, while JioStar will telecast the match across India. Cricket Australia is targeting a full house at the 38,000-capacity M.A. Chidambaram Stadium and plans to offer travel packages for Australian fans.
During his visit to the MCG, PM Modi interacted with children participating in exhibition matches of cricket, kabaddi and Australian rules football alongside sporting legends, including Steve Waugh and former Australia women’s cricketer Lisa Sthalekar. The event celebrated the growing sporting partnership between India and Australia.
The two Prime Ministers also unveiled the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap, aimed at expanding cooperation in sports, youth exchanges, sports infrastructure and talent development.
PM Modi congratulated Australia on winning the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and said the coming decade presents unique opportunities for deeper sporting collaboration, with India set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Australia preparing to host the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
(With IANS inputs)
