Adelaide, Dec. 7: Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has accused Cricket Australia of deserting some of the country''s finest players during the series against India that was held last year.

The Sunday Mail quoted him as saying that Cricket Australia was kowtowing to the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The South Australian pacer banned from first-class cricket in Australia after signing a three-year deal with the non-ICC sanctioned Indian Cricket League, also criticized Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi, adding that Cricket Australia is afraid to stand up to Modi and the BCCI.

"Unfortunately, they''ll side with (India''s) board rather than support players like ''Kasper'' (Michael Kasprowicz) and myself who''ve played for our country for many years," Gillespie said of Cricket Australia''s treatment of former Test stars now playing in the ICL.

"They''re far too worried about the ramifications of not being nice to the BCCI. It''s a joke. They''ve basically said to us, ''No, we don''t want you''," he added.

Early this year, Gillespie signed a three-year deal with the ICL, a bi-annual Twenty20 competition created by an Indian television company to promote the shortest form of the game.

"For guys like myself and (fellow ICL stars) Jimmy (Maher) and Kasper, our time playing international cricket has gone by, but some of us would like to still represent our states," Gillespie said.

"It''s quite sad. The ICL isn''t wanting to take guys out of state cricket and Test cricket. In our contracts it clearly states that if you are asked by your state or country to play that form of cricket, ICL will not stand in your way.

"The problem is the BCCI have come out and said they''re upset and won''t allow it."

Gillespie believes that unless CA acts, the BCCI will destroy the fabric of the global game.

His experience on the sub-continent has left him with the belief that for much of the cricket-playing world, Test cricket is doomed.

"Test cricket is in trouble, there''s no doubt about that. I can see a time where countries will be bypassing Test cricket altogether. With more Twenty20 Leagues, it will go the way where representing your country will take a back seat," Gillespie said. (ANI)