RCB coach Simon Katich open to IPL 2020 outside India, says 'it’s one of many scenarios that’s being discussed'

The head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore is open to the idea of conducting the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 overseas and the former Australian batsman has “no doubt” that the cash-rich league will take place later in the year. On Thursday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended IPL 2020 till further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Katich said that RCB will be very happy to play the IPL somewhere in Australia or South Africa while adding their players will enjoy the conditions in Australia.

“Whether it would be in Australia (or elsewhere), that’s an interesting topic of conversation. There would be a few teams - us in particular at RCB, we’d be very happy for it to be played abroad, because a number of our overseas players are Australian and South African, who really would enjoy these conditions in Australia,” Katich told SEN Radio.

“It would be interesting to see if that would eventuate but obviously it’s one of many scenarios that’s being discussed.”

If IPL 2020 is played abroad, then it will be the third time that the cash-rich tournament goes abroad after being hosted by South Africa in 2009 and UAE in 2014 due to general elections in India.

Katich, who replaced Gary Kirsten as the head coach of RCB following the conclusion of IPL 2019, is of the view that people have to sit tight and wait for the situation to ease out. However, Katich did admit that IPL behind closed doors would still be commercially viable.

“It’s obviously the biggest T20 tournament in the world and the people there love their cricket. But I think they’re also realistic to know that they have to sit tight and wait like everyone else in the world, and ride this out however long that takes.

“There is a huge economic side to this in terms of what the IPL generates, not only for the Indian economy but also for the franchises as well, and for the BCCI. I guess the thing that has to be weighed up is … there’s probably a little bit of a difference in terms of the IPL.

“Because of the amount of eyeballs that are on the IPL in India when it’s on in April and May, it is a scenario where it is potentially still very commercially viable being played with empty stadiums, so that’s something no doubt they’ll be weighing up.