House-full sign could go up for entire India series

Scott BaileyAAP
Camera IconCricket Australia bosses believe it could be white-ball full-houses all around for the India visit. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

Cricket Australia is eying off the prospect of selling out the entire white-ball series against India, in a move it claims shows the sport can own October and November.

One week out from next Sunday's ODI opener in Perth, three matches have already sold out -- the 50-over game at the SCG and T20s at the MCG and Manuka Oval.

Officials believe Perth and the following ODI at Adelaide Oval are also on track to be at capacity, along with a T20 at the Gabba.

The other two T20s on the Gold Coast and in Hobart are selling well, but it's understood they shape as the biggest hurdle to a completely sold-out series.

In total, close to 180,000 public tickets have been sold for the eight matches, well above the initial forecast and with those numbers not including members at each venue.

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It means that the fixtures are almost certain to make up the highest-selling October-November white-ball series in Australia outside of World Cups.

The sales are no doubt linked to India's pulling power an huge ex-pat community in Australia, with last summer's Border-Gavaskar Trophy also breaking records.

But it comes as a welcome boost for CA, given limited-overs matches have at times been hard sells since going away from free-to-air TV and moving out of January to create clear air for the Big Bash.

CA is hopeful the series can set the tone for future white-ball matches in the early part of the season, which is now the clear preferred option.

England are due to play three ODIs and five T20s at the same time next year, while similarly-timed series will almost certainly feature in the next future tours program.

"What it validates is that ultimately October and November is within cricket season," CA's head of events Joel Morrisson told AAP.

"And if you get the scheduling right, you get the matches right and the fans will come.

"We're looking at this stage of at least six matches getting to capacity, if not all eight.

"There was always going to be a need to change consumer behaviour by having international matches played earlier.

"That change in behaviour is coming through ... now fans can rely on cricket being played consistently in that window."

The sales come with Cricket Australia confident it can go close to breaking all-time records this summer during the Ashes.

The first three days in both Brisbane and Sydney are sold out, as well as the first two days in Adelaide and opening days in both Melbourne and Perth.

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