By Daniel Brettig,Tom Decent

Copyright brisbanetimes

“At some level, at some stage, everything that grows must change,” Khawaja told this masthead. “As much as I love the Boxing Day and SCG Test match and I don’t want to move them, if it’s better for the growth of the game and allows Australian players to play in the Big Bash, I think it’s worth talking about and exploring. People don’t like change.

“My view is always for the growth of the game. I do think the BBL needs to be privatised for the growth of the game, but I do believe certain boundaries need to be put around how we privatise it, who we’re privatising to, what control CA has in terms of the product.

“There are some things we need to maintain, but also you need to let the bird fly. We can’t just keep holding the reins forever, because it’s a product that … look at sport in general, the NBA, Major League Baseball, these sports that have been growing through privatisation, I think the pros outweigh the cons, but there’s still a responsibility to the game. You can do both.”

The notion of moving the Melbourne or Sydney Tests out of the way of the BBL is highly contentious. It’s been subject to spirited debate within CA and among the states. Both CA chair Mike Baird and chief executive Todd Greenberg have repeatedly said neither the MCG nor SCG Tests are at risk of being moved.