India cricket star Rishabh Pant and his exploits in the fourth Test at The Gabba, which helped India secure the four-match 2020\/21 Test series 2-1 in Australia, could have played a major role in Cricket Australia (CA) securing an AUD360 million rights deal with Disney Star on Sunday, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pant scored an unbeaten 89 as India overhauled Australia's target in their traditional stronghold to win the Test by three wickets, and with it the series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The report said that, "Pant's phenomenal innings to deliver India the Gabba Test and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in January 2021 remained fresh in plenty of executive memories".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At a time when lucrative T20 leagues are ruling the roost, the multi-million dollar seven-year deal has surprised the cricket pundits, who now feel there is still a tremendous following for Test cricket. The report added that CA's agreement with Disney Star is "larger than the fee Nine was paying, as recently as a decade ago, for all cricket in Australia -- AUD275 million between 2006 and 2013".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
CA had on Sunday announced a historic deal with Disney Star to broadcast Australian cricket throughout India and other territories across Asia. The seven-year deal commencing in 2023-24 will see Disney Star televise men's and women's international matches played in Australia as well as the Big Bash League (BBL) and Women's BBL.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
CA feels the channel's reach will provide "enormous exposure" for Australian cricket and for CA's commercial partners in the world's largest cricket market, which is Asia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n