IPl schedule won't expand for next 8 years at least: CA

Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards has revealed that he feared international cricket being "left behind" by the IPl given its growing popularity but the BCCI allayed his apprehension by promising not to expand the T20 event's schedule for the next eight years.

"There was a very real chance that India would have gone on an IPl voyage and left world cricket behind. That was said more than once," Edwards told ESPNcricinfo.

"If that had have happened, you were looking down the barrel of a Kerry Packer moment. It would have been easy to say 'they aren't going to do it, they want to play in World Cups', but that was a reality," he said.

"We have a commitment from them that IPl will not change during this eight-year cycle. Dates won't change, the start date won't change and the length of the tournament won't change. They've given us that commitment and that was important to us."

Edwards said the BCCI has also been quite cooperative on the issue of better pays for international players competing in the IPl.

"IPl is important to them, and to the world of cricket players who make a lot of money out of it, and we didn't want to see it grow. We've also negotiated with India to pay the countries more for their players. We've got good understandings on that, they've been very straightforward and I believe them," he said.

Edwards justified the support his Board has lent to the ICC revamp which has made BCCI considerably powerful in the world body.

"If you can find a progressive way to improve the place, why would you take that chance, why would you do a Kerry Packer, where the Australian board just said 'bugger off' with the deal. Your guess is as good as mine what might happen. I don't know what would happen, and why would you risk itIJ" he said.

Edwards said a confrontational approach would have resulted in international cricket completely losing some fine players to IPl.

"Why would you risk turning the IPl into a travelling circus that would take all our good cricketers 12 months of the year and leave us with second rate international cricket. It's not a pretty thought. But it's possible, and they know that. Maybe in the end it will still happen one day, but I don't think it will happen in the next eight years," he said.

"India are strong and we've got to recognise that, but what we want them to do is be part of the decision-making process and be in the ICC rather than just turning up and being aggressive, angry and unhappy. That's where they are, they're unhappy.

"They've said more than once 'you can have a World Cup but we won't be coming'. We can argue they might come, but will they come to Champions Trophy or a World Twenty20IJ They might not. I can easily see them not coming."