If Cricket Australia (CA) wants to boost BBL crowds and the standard of play they need look no further than India.
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Unfortunately for BBL franchises, which have mostly struggled to attract top-class international talent this season, it's impossible to recruit Indian talent despite Tim Paine's impassioned pitch to Rishabh Pant.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to release any players under its umbrella to any competition outside the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The IPL is the world's best and most lucrative cricket competition by some margin, with its most recent broadcast rights deal worth a staggering $3.23 billion, and the BCCI wants to do everything in its immense power to keep it that way.
The upside for CA changing India's stance is obvious but chief executive Kevin Roberts suggests it is "not something that we're specifically focused on".
"We're very fortunate to have players from most other major cricketing nations," Roberts told AAP.
"We've got a thriving league and we do have a good diversity of internationals."
Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa, two players to have learned plenty on and off the field during the IPL, would love see to see some Indians in the BBL.
"It is disappointing but you can understand," Maxwell said earlier this season.
"It'd be great to have them ... it might help with a few of those quirky sledges and the banter on the field (during international games).
"When we go over there we learn so much about their culture and them as people. It's a great experience."
Virat Kohli flagged no interest in a BBL stint on Friday, noting he didn't know whether the BCCI's "stance is going to change in the future".
Recruiting Kohli or MS Dhoni is unlikely to happen.
But the BBL could be an ideal platform to accelerate the development of young Indian talent, likewise a perfect temporary home for retired internationals keen to enjoy the relative anonymity that is part of the reason Kohli loves touring Australia.
England used the BBL to good effect a year ago, with several of their white-ball specialists adapting to local conditions before smashing Australia 4-1 in an ODI series.
Zampa suggested Indians in the BBL could be a win-win for both countries.
"They're probably the best players in the world, especially in T20 cricket. It would be nice ... probably help the Big Bash too," Zampa said.
"It was a really amazing experience playing the IPL and getting to see those guys first-hand."
Scheduling and the salary cap are obvious issues, as reflected by the fact AB de Villiers headlines a list of stars to have brushed the BBL and instead joined Steve Smith and David Warner in Bangladesh.
Australian Associated Press
