The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, will have a busy schedule as they travel across the globe before preparing to host the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023. The complete itinerary of cricket matches for Sharma’s team has also been disclosed.
Next month, the Indian cricket team will embark on a journey to the West Indies for a series comprising 2 Test matches, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is. These matches will take place in the months of July and August. Following the West Indies tour, the team will travel to Ireland to engage in a three-match T20I series against the Irish side, captained by Andrew Balbirnie.
Starting from August 31, Team India will participate in the Asia Cup 2023, a highly anticipated tournament that includes their traditional rivals, Pakistan. The Asia Cup 2023 will adopt a ‘hybrid’ model, with matches being jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Following the conclusion of the Asia Cup, Rohit Sharma’s Indian team will face the former World Cup champions, Australia, in a three-match ODI series at home. This will be followed by another three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in the same month.
The official start of India’s World Cup campaign will be on October 8, as they face Australia in Chennai. Among the top contenders, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, will be the most extensively traveling team in the tournament. They will cover a distance of approximately 8400 km while traversing nine cities and playing nine league games over a span of 34 days.
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If the Indian team progresses to the semi-finals and ultimately reaches the final of the World Cup, the total distance covered would be close to 9700 km for 11 games within a span of 42 days. While the initial figure of 8400 km in 34 days may not appear excessive, the challenges arise when considering the demanding schedule and logistics the players face.
Playing 100-over matches, the Indian players will often finish their games around 11 pm and then have to catch flights every third day, which can be physically and mentally exhausting. The combination of late finishes, frequent travel, and the overall intensity of the tournament can indeed take a toll on the players, making it a grueling experience.
Once the Indian team lands in Chennai for the game against Australia, the aerial distance covered in subsequent matches would be in the following order: Chennai to Delhi (1761 km), Delhi to Ahmedabad (775 km), Ahmedabad to Pune (516 km), Pune to Dharamsala (1936 km), Dharamsala to Lucknow (748 km), Lucknow to Mumbai (1190 km), Mumbai to Kolkata (1652 km), and Kolkata to Bengaluru (1544 km). This sequence of travel highlights the extensive distances the team will need to traverse during the World Cup, which adds to the physical demands and logistical challenges faced by the players.
🚨🚨 Team India's fixtures for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 👇👇
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 27, 2023
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Team India Schedule Before ICC ODI World Cup 2023
2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 5 T20I vs West India in July-August (Away)
3 T20Is vs Ireland in August (Away)
Asia Cup 2023 in September (Away)
3 ODIs vs Australia in September (Home)
3 ODIs vs Afghanistan in September (Home)
ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in October-November (Home)