Sydney, Dec 12 : Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has asked the players to remember the significant breaks of previous years, and promised to manage the workload of the international players during a hectic schedule.

Three postponed tours to Pakistan have been added to an already crammed itinerary and there have been requests for a reduction in off-field commitments to compensate.

Sutherland acknowledged that nursing players through the intense program created by a backlog of tours, and managing their commitments between games, would be a major challenge, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

However, he said: "There is some give and take here. We will work with the ACA [union] to manage the workload and commitments of players but as to the reasons we are in this situation, there are three tours that have been postponed from earlier dates, which means that players have had significant breaks as well over the last 12 to 18 months."

"The players have had more of a holiday or a rest in that time than they would have otherwise had. Now these tours are coming up and it's far from ideal. We want to be keeping players fresh. The last thing we want is for players to be carrying injuries or fatigue," he added.

The crowded program for the next 18 months includes three separate visits to Pakistan, for rescheduled Test and one-day tours and the Champions Trophy, which was also delayed because of security threats.

Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke this week expressed fears that the unprecedented playing schedule would shorten careers, and suggested players should be rewarded for spending more time on the road, away from their families.

The Australian Cricketers' Association, which is due to begin talks for a new memorandum of understanding with Cricket Australia, has pointed out that the hectic program will leave less time for off-field appearances.

However, Sutherland said it was the responsibility of the country's elite players to promote the game as CA seeks to balance its investment in grassroots cricket with the elite level. (ANI)