Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley has called on the Queensland government to invest in a fit for purpose stadium that will serve fans over the long term after the Gabba was left off the test calendar for the first time in half a century.
Brisbane's Gabba Stadium received no commitment to being used as a test venue beyond late 2025 when CA announced its home international series schedule for the next seven years on Sunday.
Organisers of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics had planned to revamp the Gabba to host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics but the local government blanched at the cost, leaving the future of the stadium uncertain.
Australia to face England in a standalone game in Melbourne in 2027 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the inaugural Test at the MCG.
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) August 18, 2024
Cricket Australia also announce the Men’s Ashes in 2025/26 will start at the Perth stadium & not the Gabba in Brisbane. #BBCCricket pic.twitter.com/ZFTVba71fM
"We're interested in the best provision for cricket and for cricket fans into the long term," said Hockley.
"I think what has become clear is that the useful economic life of the Gabba is kind of nearing an end point.
"I would think we welcome that there'll be further investment in the near term. But we are really interested, and we think that the sports fans of Queensland deserve a brilliant, fit for purpose stadium for the longer term.
"So we're interested to understand what that will look like."
Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have all been signed up to long-term deals to host test matches during the upcoming seven year-period.
The Gabba will host a day-night test in the Ashes series against England late next year but has been left off the schedule for the 2026-27 season, the first time in 50 years that it has been excluded.
"I think everyone's waiting to understand what the stadia strategy is going to be going forward," said Hockley.
"So we're in very regular dialogue with all the relevant parties up in Queensland, and those discussions will continue over the coming months."
Queensland Cricket chair Kirsten Pike and chief executive Terry Svenson said the absence of the Gabba on the test calendar was "deeply disappointing".
"The state government's decision to not progress with its commitment to rebuild the Gabba and downgrade its proposed Olympic role has resulted in direct and indirect changes to how we proceed with our business," they said in an open letter published on the organisation's website.
"The lack of detail about timings, promised improvements, and actual investment in the Gabba is driving uncertainty and is likely to continue to affect our operations until it is addressed."