With the next home summer's Border-Gavaskar Trophy also under serious threat because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cricket Australia (CA) secured USD 50 million loan, an upfront amount of the USD 200 million credit, the governing body sought to make up for the losses if India fails to travel down under. 

As per the report published in The Sydney Morning Herald, stakeholders have been informed that the loan with the Commonwealth Bank is a "done deal".

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However, this has raised fresh question marks over CA's decision to enforce an 80 per cent lay off for all its staff due to the financial crisis. 

CEO Kevin Roberts confirmed that more than 200 staff personnel will be on 20 per cent salary pay until the end of June as the board fears it might otherwise run out cash by August amid the game's indefinite suspension. 

Roberts himself is still on 80 per cent salary pay, but the CEO is also set to propose a 25 per cent reduction in grants from CA for all state associations, said the report. 

CA foresees losses of about 300 million Australian dollars because of the pandemic and is hoping for the lucrative India visit to go ahead for some relief. 

India is scheduled to travel down under in October and stay there till mid-January. The tour begins with three T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup, before the focus shifts to the marquee four-Test series, and concludes with three ODIs at the start of the new year. 

(Inputs from PTI)