Steve Smith's unavailability for BBL 2021-22 irked broadcasters into suing Cricket Australia

One of the best Test batters in the modern era, Steve Smith, continues to attract eyeballs across formats. 

After undergoing a lean patch with the bat, Smith wanted to play for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2021-22 season, but his request was turned down by Cricket Australia (CA).

This has now been revealed as one of the main reasons that irked the broadcasters' Seven' into taking CA to court in their quest to cancel their $450 million TV deal.

Despite talks with CA chief executive Nick Hockley, Seven could not make the governing authority change their stance on Smith.

According to DailyMail, Seven Network Limited's statement of claim read: "Steve Smith is a world-class player whose absence could be expected to reduce audience interest and the size of the broadcast audience,"

"No other cricket governing body has prohibited a world-class player from participating in an important match in similar circumstances,"

"The exclusion of Steve Smith was derided by several high-profile cricketers including Allan Border, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Vaughan, Nathan Lyon and Mike Hussey,"

Smith has played 24 games for the Sixers, scoring 619 runs at a strike rate of 129.23, and was also part of the squad that won the first-ever BBL title in 2011-12.

Another factor that came as displeasure for Seven was the board's scheduling of the BBL, which clashed with an international series for Australia's men's side.

"Players who are playing in the men's one-day international match, men's international Twenty20 match or international practice match involving a secondary 'Australia A' team and competing for international teams (being players of at least the highest quality and standard) are unable to play in the Seven BBL match, reducing the quality and standard of players available to play in the Seven BBL match,"

"At all relevant times, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has never scheduled any international match involving an Indian national men's team competitively with any IPL match," the statement adds.

CA have expressed its astonishment over Seven's move enabling the TV deal to be void, with two more years of the contract remaining.

"CA remains enormously proud of the efforts of the Australian Cricket family, including players, match officials, sponsors, stadium operators, host governments, staff and volunteers whose hard work, dedication and expertise allowed us to deliver two exceptional cricket seasons in unprecedented circumstances," the statement read.