In a shocking development, Australia's cricketing chiefs on Monday (January 3) revealed that they were assisting a police probe into accusations that an Under-19 cricketer was sexually assaulted during the tour of India and Sri Lanka in the 1980s.

Cricket Australia extended their support to former Under-19 player Jamie Mitchell, whose allegations that he was raped on the tour by a team official were first reported by national broadcaster ABC on Sunday (January 2).

"We acknowledge and applaud the courage of Jamie Mitchell in speaking out about his experience," the governing body said in a statement, adding that it was "fully assisting" a police investigate.

"We have no tolerance for any form of abuse," said Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley.

Speaking to ABC, Mitchell claimed that he was sexually assaulted in Colombo on the last night of the tour in 1985.

A team official named in the ABC report rubbished the claims and no charges have been made.

"Instead of being a highlight of my cricketing life, that tour has caused me trauma and distress over many years," Mitchell said in a statement released by his lawyers to Australian media.

"Cricket Australia has a chance to distinguish itself by facing up to this issue and doing the right thing.

"And that means transparency, starting with proper answers to many questions. I'm going to send a list of them to Cricket Australia."

Legendary Australian batter Greg Chappell was a national selector at the time of the alleged incident and he was left appalled by the claims as well.

"I would hope that CA will respond in a human way and deal empathetically with the individuals rather than try to defend the organisation," Chappell told Nine Entertainment.

"It was a shocking revelation. I would have hoped nothing like that had happened, but realism tells you that other areas of life have seen that sort of thing go on."

(With AFP inputs)