Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey is "fearful" over the fate of the T20 World Cup, scheduled down under from October 18 to November 15.
The ICC's flagship event is being considered a logistical nightmare, given that it would be really difficult to have all 16 teams quarantine and prepare for the tournament amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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While the governing body has continuously deferred a final call on the matter, it seems imminent that the T20 World Cup will be shifted to some other year within the current FTP cycle running until 2023.
"I am really fearful about the T20 World Cup, to be honest, and the reason for that is I think it is okay to bring out one team to play international cricket and get them to isolate and stay safe and prepare well for a series," Hussey said during 'HotSpot: The Cricket Podcast by sports journalist and broadcaster, Chetan Narula, and Deep Dasgupta, the former India wicketkeeper batsman and broadcaster.
"But having to bring a number of teams and getting them to isolate to prepare and then move around the country to different venues I think that will be a logistical nightmare."
"From what we are hearing perhaps the T20 World Cup will have to be postponed for 2021 or even 2022," he added.
With the creation of a bio-secure bubble for one visiting team being more feasible, India's Test trip to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December-January is likely to see the light of the day.
Hussey expressed excitement over the prospect of that series going ahead on time, especially with India finally pulling off its maiden Test series win in those conditions the last time in 2018-19 season and Australia having Steve Smith, David Warner back following the ball-tampering saga.
"I am salivating at the prospect of this series. India were sensational the last time they came to these shores, it was great to see them win and it gave them so much belief that they could win in Australian conditions," he said.
"This is going to be a different series, obviously throwing back in Steve Smith and David Warner makes Australia a much better team. The Indian bowlers will have to work harder no question."
The on-field playing conditions for the next series are also likely to be tougher for Indians to tackle, with Brisbane hosting the first Test, a place where Australia hasn't lost since the 1988-89 summer, and the pink-ball D/N Test being embraced in Adelaide, unlike the last trip. Hussey thinks Australia's bowling attack will relish that.
"They have a world-class bowling attack with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. So I think India will have to be at their best to knock off Australia this time," he concluded.
(Inputs from IANS)
