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With the coronavirus outbreak bringing the world to a standstill, sporting events in almost all countries have either been postponed or cancelled.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is now looking at the October-November window to host the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world's most high-profile and lucrative Twenty20 tournament which was supposed to begin on March 29 and has been postponed till April 15.
But the move can only be possible if the International Cricket Council (ICC) decides to postpone the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled in Australia from Oct 18 to Nov 15.
A BCCI official told the news agency IANS that there have been talks with all the stakeholders - franchise owners, media, advertisers, ICC, Asian Cricket Council, English Cricket Board and Cricket Australia regarding the hosting of the IPL in the October-November window.
"At present, there is a lockdown of borders and, while Australia has said it is a potential six-month lockdown, things can change with an improvement in the scenario," he said. "We are still to understand what the Indian government will decide with regard to closing the international borders.
"In such a scenario, the only window that looks safe is the October-November one. But, again, that will depend on the ICC postponing the T20 World Cup.
"The spread of the coronavirus must also be stopped and things must come under human control."
An ICC official made it clear that the T20 World Cup is still on as planned and there have been no talks of a postponement.
Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts had earlier said that he is hoping the T20 World Cup could be played as per schedule. Some franchise owners believe the IPL will be staged behind closed doors this year.
Manoj Badale, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, said: "To ensure the survival of the tournament, it should take place without crowds. This has already been discussed between the owners and the BCCI," he told BBC 5 Live.
"As with the English Premier League, the atmosphere is a huge part of the spectacle. But, again, these are unprecedented times and sport needs to be put in the right perspective overall.
"If the way of ensuring the cricket economy survives is by playing behind closed doors, so be it.
"In India, the Covid phenomenon has only really just landed, so there may be a way of the games being played in June."
Badale said cricket is crucial for the global economy. "Fundamentally, to the cricket economy - not just to the Indian cricket economy, but to the global cricket economy - the IPL is incredibly important," he said.
"Not just what it means for players, but what it means for the supply chain that a US$600 million-a-year tournament creates."
A franchise official said that a season without an IPL can be a major blow for players and the BCCI. "We will not get any money from insurance companies as the pandemic is not covered in the clause," he said. "Each franchise has salary overheads ranging between Rs75 crore ($14.25 million) and Rs85 crore. How can we pay if there's no action?"
Indeed, no play means no pay for the players and support staff.
"The system of IPL payments is that 15 per cent is paid a week before the tournament starts, 65 per cent more is paid during the tournament and the remaining 20 per cent is paid within a stipulated time after the tournament ends," a senior franchise official told PTI. "The BCCI has specific guidelines. Obviously, no player will be paid as of now."
The economic implications of a season without IPL could be huge, admitted the Indian Cricketers' Association president Ashok Malhotra.
He feels that even domestic players may have to accept pay cuts if losses run into thousands of crores amid the ongoing lockdown.
"It's not just the Dhonis and the Kohlis (top players) who will be affected. Surely they would feel the pinch, but for many first-timers, the Rs20 lakh to Rs60 lakh is serious life-changing money after all the hard work. Hope the BCCI has a plan in place," an IPL official told PTI. It is believed that the BCCI will lose close to Rs3,000 crore if the IPL is not held.
BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal, however, said that at present there hasn't been any discussion about pay cuts.
"IPL obviously is BCCI's biggest tournament. But, at this point, it is very difficult to do calculations and estimate losses," he said. "The calculations are complex and, till the office-bearers get together, we can't say anything."
Malhotra feels that one has to understand the situation. In the case of domestic players, it might not be a pay cut, but probably the much-awaited pay hike could be put on hold for some time.
"The BCCI earns its money from cricket. If cricket is not happening, where will the money come from? We have to be sensible here," he said.
"So, it's not just international cricketers. Domestic players will also be affected. It's not the board's fault. This is an unavoidable situation."
Indo-Asian News Service
