Cricket Australia has hit back at the Seven Network, claiming it's talking the game down after the broadcaster lodged paperwork in the Federal Court.
In an extraordinary 24 hours, Seven on Monday evening lodged an application to see emails between CA, the Board of Cricket Control for India, Foxtel and state governments.
The broadcaster claims that CA were beholden to the BCCI, giving into their wishes to start the tour with the ODI and T20 matches, which are broadcast solely on Foxtel.
"It appears to me that CA's scheduling decisions may have been motivated by CA's broader interests in relation to the BCCI, Foxtel and also a positive incentive given to CA by the State of Tasmania," Seven's managing director Lewis Martin wrote in the affidavit as published by Nine.
CA boss Nick Hockley responded on Tuesday, with the organisation tired of the drama being played out in public after more than three months of dispute between the parties.
"With so much positivity around Australian cricket, it is disappointing that Seven West Media has again chosen to use the media to talk our wonderful game down," Hockley said.
"CA has maintained all along our commitment to delivering a thrilling summer of cricket and on behalf of all involved, be that governments, partners, players and staff.
"I'm proud to say we are doing just that.
"In the most challenging environment sport has faced, with the support of our friends at the BCCI, CA has ensured that the much-anticipated series with India can go ahead safely."
It is believed CA will resist to calls to release the email dialogue and is confident in its legal position.
Seven's latest move calls into question the $450 million rights deal between the two organisations, in which the TV network pays more than $70 million per year.
White-ball internationals have opened off the past two men's summers, would have this year as well before the India series if not for matches being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the Twenty20 World Cup was postponed, T20s against West Indies were scrapped along with a one-off Test against Afghanistan.
In a move that has since irked Seven, ODIs and T20s against India were shifted to before the Test series from after it.
That allowed India's Test and white-ball player groups to tour as one after the IPL concluded, and their limited-overs players to go home once the Tests started.
In turn, it means the first free-to-air men's cricket on Seven is the BBL on December 10, with the Border-Gavaskar Test series opener to follow on December 17.
However, the reworked schedule does mean that more of Australia's white-ball stars will be available for the entire BBL which is screened on Seven.
A dispute separate to the Federal Court applications also remains ongoing between the two parties, with Seven pushing for a reduction in fees beyond the 20 per cent CA offered.
Prior to this week, the network has long complained about what it claims will be a lower-quality BBL this summer.
That decision is expected within weeks, but further legal action could result given CA may question the power of the arbitrator.
Hockley argued on Tuesday that Seven's stance was poorly timed after a big start to the summer.
Saturday night's WBBL final between the Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars was the second-most watched WBBL game in history, pulling in 460,000 viewers.
Sunday's audience of 585,000 for the second ODI between Australia and India was also the highest in Foxtel's history.
