Big Bash League: The curious case of the BBL: An Australian T20 tournament without Australian stars

The Australian grounds, bouncy but batter-friendly pitches and plethora of top stars flocking to the tournament made it a must-see TV for cricket fans worldwide. 

However, recent years have seen a steady decline in the league's popularity. Many feel that it suffered due to the over-saturation of cricket to begin with. 

On the other hand, if that were the case, leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) would also have lost out on a fan following. That hasn't happened, though, and the IPL remains as strong as ever. 

Yet the BBL has also had another problem that has been an issue since the beginning of the tournament. 

The top Australian stars only sometimes take part in the tournament

This has become an accepted part of the BBL, yet it still rankles when you think about it. An Australian league which does not feature regular Australian internationals? 

Yet that is precisely how the league goes. It will begin at the start of the Australian summer, which is also the time for Australia's home season to get underway. 

Thus, the BBL and Australia's international commitments will go side by side, which is truly an outlier. 

None of the other big leagues worldwide have international cricket during their domestic league time. 

A focus on their new league, SA20, led to Cricket South Africa (CSA) cancelling an ODI series with Australia that will follow the Test series. 

CSA were clear – they wanted their top stars available for the SA20 because, in their eyes, the future sustainability of the board depends on whether their league is a success. 

This is true for most nations. England will not play international games when The Hundred takes place, and Pakistan does not tour during the Pakistan Super League. 

The BCCI has always ensured their top players are available for the IPL since they know that big star players are what the public wants to see. 

The BBL remain an exception to the norm, though that hasn't always pleased many. Their TV partners took Cricket Australia to court over the scheduling. 

The reason? They wanted more of the top Aussie players available for the league rather than away on international commitments at the time. 

To be fair, there is change happening in that regard. The ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the 2023-27 cycle will see them play as few white-ball games as possible in January. 

This is to ensure their top stars are free to be a part of their BBL franchises and give the league a much-needed shot in the arm. 

Will this help the league? One only hopes so, since it remains a tournament that is fun to watch. Still, an Australian company will always need its Australian stars to flourish properly.