Melbourne Stars and Renegades to merge into a single BBL franchise

The Melbourne Stars and Renegades are set to merge into a single franchise in the Big Bash League. The merger is administrative in nature and will involve rebadging, but the player lists will stay the same for the time being.

Cricket Victoria is one of three state associations in favour of privatising the Big Bash League. Once that goes through, the state board intends to sell its second BBL franchise license in full.

Renegades' General Manager James Rosengarten is expected to be the GM of the newly formed team. Other details—such as the playing squad composition, venue, and team name—remain a work in progress.

The next update could come after Cricket Australia's key meeting on June 15, where privatisation plans will be further discussed.