On Tuesday, the BCCI revealed the schedule for an extensive home season of cricket tours and fixtures. The season will include white-ball matches against Australia before and after the home ODI World Cup, which is set to take place in October-November. Following that, there will be a five-Test series against England, concluding on March 24th.
Australia’s tour of India will kick off with three ODIs scheduled to be held in Mohali, Indore, and Rajkot on September 23, 24, and 27, respectively. These matches are significant as they will mark the commencement of BCCI’s fresh four-year media rights cycle, leading to the search for new broadcast partners. Additionally, these ODIs will serve as the last encounters between India and Australia before their first World Cup match, which is set to take place in Chennai on October 8.
| Australia Series | Match | Venue |
| India vs Australia | 1st ODI | Mohali (September 22) |
| India vs Australia | 2nd ODI | Indore (September 24) |
| India vs Australia | 3rd ODI | Rajkot (September 27) |
| India vs Australia | 1st T20I | Visakhapatnam (November 23) |
| India vs Australia | 2nd T20I | Thiruvananthapuram (November 26) |
| India vs Australia | 3rd T20I | Guwahati (November 28) |
| India vs Australia | 4th T20I | Nagpur (December 1) |
| India vs Australia | 5th T20I | Hyderabad (December 3) |
Following the conclusion of the World Cup, India and Australia are scheduled to face off in a series of five T20Is, which will take place from November 23 to December 3. The matches will be held in Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Nagpur, and Hyderabad.
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In preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, three ODIs initially planned against Afghanistan for this year have been changed to T20Is. India will now compete against Afghanistan on January 11, 14, and 17 in Mohali, Indore, and Bengaluru, respectively.
| Afghanistan Series | Match | Venue |
| India vs Afghanistan | 1st T20I | Mohali (January 11) |
| India vs Afghanistan | 2nd T20I | Indore (January 14) |
| India vs Afghanistan | 3rd T20I | Bengaluru (January 17) |
The venues selected for the white-ball fixtures against Australia are primarily those that were not chosen to host World Cup matches. The BCCI clarified that these selections were made based on their “rotation policy.”
Afterwards, India will confront England, a team currently displaying an aggressive style of Test cricket, in a Test series scheduled from January 25 to March 24. The matches will be held at Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharmsala. There will be a one-week break between the second and third Tests, as well as between the fourth and final Tests.
| England series | Match | Venue |
| India vs England | 1st Test | Hyderabad (Jan 25-29) |
| India vs England | 2nd Test | Visakhapatnam (Feb 2-6) |
| India vs England | 3rd Test | Rajkot (Feb 15-19) |
| India vs England | 4th Test | Ranchi (Feb 23-27) |
| India vs England | 5th Test | Dharamsala (Mar 3-7) |
The selection of Test venues raises questions. India’s optimal strategy to counter England’s aggressive batsmen and seam/swing bowlers would be on pitches that favor spin bowling.
Historically, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, and Ranchi have been known for their slow and batting-friendly tracks, while Dharamsala stands out as a venue that provides assistance to pacers. However, considering the significance of the World Test Championship points at stake, there is a possibility that the pitches for the series may be altered to cater to different conditions.
