Not just a 'one-off thing' - BBL could continue hosting season-opener in Chennai

'We definitely would like to continue to do this in the future', league's head of operations says

Staging the BBL opener in Chennai might not just be a "one-off thing". Cricket Australia and the BBL are open to hosting more matches at Chepauk, the home of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, in the future.

"I think this isn't about a one-off thing," Phil Rigby, head of BBL operations and club growth, said at a BBL event at Chepauk. "We've got to deliver the first game first, and then we'll worry about the future. But we definitely would like to continue to do this in the future, and those conversations will be ongoing with the TNCA [Tamil Nadu Cricket Association] and the BCCI."

Melbourne Renegades will face defending champions Perth Scorchers in Chennai on December 12 to launch the 2026-27 BBL season, marking the tournament's first game overseas.

'We're not coming here to compete with the IPL'

The groundwork to take the BBL to India began around a year ago, when the Australian government approached CA and the league about hosting this game in Chennai as part of the "G'day Namaste" event, according to Rigby.

In May earlier this year, a five-member delegation from CA attended CSK's final home game of the season, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with BCCI president Mithun Manhas also present. Soon after, the BCCI greenlit the proposal to launch the 2026-27 BBL in Chennai.

The BCCI has gone to great lengths to establish the IPL as the flagship franchise T20 competition globally and doesn't allow its active men's players to participate in overseas franchise leagues. But the board was open to letting CA and the BBL stage the BBL opener in December.

"This isn't just about a Big Bash game; this whole conversation started around a broader bilateral government initiative around how we can grow and strengthen the relationship between Australia and India," Rigby said. "What's the best way to do that? Through cricket. Cricket is India's game, and it's Australia's game, so that's the logical starting point for that conversation.

"I can only talk positively about the support we've received from the BCCI. We're not coming here to compete with the IPL. My observations and the engagement I've had show that both Indians and Australians have a very special relationship with each other. That was how the conversation started - we're here to share that Big Bash experience, which is very different from the IPL or other T20 leagues."Perth Scorchers' Jhye Richardson and Melbourne Renegades' Brendan Doggett pose with the BBL trophy at Chepauk•Special Arrangement

'We want to bring our authentic Big Bash experience to Chennai'

It's understood that the strong crowds at Chepauk during the 2026 T20 World Cup, even for neutral, day games involving two Associate teams, were among the factors that piqued the interest for bringing the BBL to Chennai.

The BBL opener is set to start at 2.40pm local time on December 12 and will count as a home game for Renegades. While the BBL is trying to capture the local fans in Chennai by offering the local language (Tamil) option on its official website, it won't compromise on bringing the original BBL flavour to India, which includes fans wearing bucket hats and KFC buckets on their heads.

"We want to bring our authentic Big Bash experience that our fans enjoy at the MCG or SCG or anywhere else," Rigby said. "The core elements of a Big Bash match - remember there are certain rules in a Big Bash game that are different from the IPL.

"No one has ever seen the Power Surge, as an example, in India before. We're bringing a brand new rule this year: our designated hitter-designated fielder rule. So there are some things in our game that are different from what you've seen in an IPL game."

Would the BBL's jaunt to India and its attempt to gain traction in a new ecosystem encourage other franchise leagues to explore similar offshore opportunities as well?

"I guess so," Rigby said. "I haven't probably thought through that before, but if it represents an opportunity, I understand why the CPL look to go to the [United] States. Obviously, with MLC, there's a growing cricket community and fan base in the States. Obviously, the European League has started too.

"Clearly, T20 cricket is globalising everywhere. From when the Big Bash started 15 years ago, if you look at the number of T20 competitions that were around to what exists today, clearly the world has changed."