Australia players won't be greedy if asked to take pay cut: Paine

Australian cricketers are not going to be "greedy" if they are asked for a pay cut as it is important that the game thrives well into the future in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Test captain Tim Paine.

With India's tour of Australia and the upcoming T20 World Cup in doubt due to the fast-spreading coronavirus, Cricket Australia has already stood down 80 per cent of its staff and now is in talks with Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) regarding a potential players' pay cut.

"Players need to know the absolute financial positions of the game and the players aren't going to be greedy," Paine said on ABC Radio.

"Our livelihood, all the people associated with the CA and the players association, their livelihood is dependent on the game of cricket being healthy.

"So at the moment if a pay cut for us is on the cards and that keeps our game thriving well into the future, then that's something we'll certainly have to look at."
"I think there's a bit of safeguarding towards the potential of India not coming (on a tour in December/January) which is worth something like 250 to 300 million dollars."
"But apart from that I've only heard a few things on the rumour mill about maybe New Zealand coming out and us going there."