NEW DELHI, Sept 16: A major wrangle over TV rights for Indian cricket is threatening to mar the build-up to a mouth-watering home test series against Australia next month.

The four-game series, kicking off in Bangalore on Oct 6, is hugely awaited by millions of fans expecting another intense contest between the world's top side and a team who have been almost unbeatable at home for many years.

Doubts are being raised, however, about whether the series will be telecast at all because of a court dispute over the TV rights awarded by the Indian board for the next four years.

India's largest listed media firm, Zee telefilms, were this month conditionally given the rights worth a massive $308 million. But their main rival, ESPN-Star Sports, is contesting the award mainly on grounds of eligibility.

The Mumbai High Court on Wednesday directed the board not to award the rights to any third party until the dispute is settled after the BCCI said telecast of the matches was particularly important for decisions by the third umpire.

The biggest concern is over any blackout of the series. Questions are also being raised over production quality if the dispute is resolved too close to the series. "Even if the dispute is settled around 10 days earlier, companies can pull it off," said Shantanu Chatterjee, a senior cricket television producer. "But if the issue drags on to Oct 1 or 2 then it can get very chaotic," he said. "There is even the danger of the series getting cancelled. TV is that big."

Television companies bidding for the lucrative Indian rights particularly eye the large advertising market in the cricket mad country of over 1.1 billion people. Australia, who have not won a Test series in India for 34 years, were upset 2-1 on their last tour in 2001 and India drew 1-1 in Australia last year. -Reuters