India's concerns should not be as great as they had been for Australia will be without its best two batsmen, David Warner and Steve Smith, who are serving a year-long ban as part of the ball-tampering scandal.
Led by Virat Kohli, India are the only major cricketing nation yet to play a day-night Test, and there is even a power struggle at home between the two key factions on the board over whether a home pink-ball Test should be staged in October. This comes at a time when officials there have raised concerns about dwindling interest in the sport's long form despite cricket being India's premier sport.
The Indians are due to play four Tests here from early December, with Melbourne and Sydney set to be the final two. Australia's Test campaign will continue through January, with two against Sri Lanka, including the possibility of a day-night Test in Brisbane. That, though, would have implications on the Big Bash League, for CA and broadcasters would not want the two forms to clash.
Test ratings slipped during last summer's Ashes series from the previous 2013-14 home campaign, so the possibility that the day-night Test would be scrapped next summer would be a major concern for the host broadcaster and sponsors. CA is searching for a new naming rights sponsor after investment firm Magellan tore up its contract in wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
The ongoing broadcast rights negotiations, which have become heated, have also contributed to a delay in fixturing, for the host broadcasters could want a greater say in scheduling. Nine's status as the frontline cricket broadcaster for more than 40 years is under threat, for the network has spent $300 million purchasing the rights to the summer of tennis.
Seven and Ten are firmly in the race for the free-to-air coverage, while Fox Sports, despite a heated meeting with CA on Friday, is after a slew of rights, including simulcasting Tests that fall under the anti-siphoning list.
