INDIA COULD PLAY additional matches in Ireland, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as the team prepares for a packed international calendar over the next 12 months, according to a report by Cricbuzz. The proposed fixtures would add to an already busy schedule that includes tours and series in England, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh and Japan, as well as several home assignments.
The report states that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering adding three T20 Internationals to India’s upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. These matches could be played ahead of the two Tests already scheduled in the Future Tours Programme (FTP), with the fixtures likely to be held in July–August.
The additional games have reportedly been proposed by Sri Lanka Cricket as part of a fundraising initiative to support flood relief efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah last November, which resulted in widespread damage and displacement across several regions of the island nation.
Prior to the Sri Lanka tour, India are scheduled to travel to England for a white-ball series featuring three ODIs and five T20Is between 1 and 19 July. However, the team could make a short stop in Ireland en route.
Sources cited in the report indicate that discussions are underway between the BCCI and Cricket Ireland for a three-match T20I series in Dublin. If finalised, the fixtures could take place in the final week of June, shortly after India host Afghanistan national cricket team for a home series comprising one Test and three ODIs from 6 to 20 June.
India’s calendar could become even more congested later in the year. A three-match T20I series against Afghanistan is scheduled in the United Arab Emirates in September, while a white-ball tour of Bangladesh featuring three ODIs and three T20Is is also planned. However, that tour remains subject to approval from the Government of India due to diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
There are also discussions regarding a potential three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe around the same period. The proposed tour could overlap with a visit by the West Indies cricket team to India for three ODIs and five T20Is, a series expected to extend into October.
Meanwhile, cricket will feature at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan from 25 September to 3 October. India will aim to defend the gold medals won by both the men’s and women’s teams at the 2022 Asian Games. With the West Indies series potentially clashing with the tournament, India may field separate squads for the Asian Games and the ODI matches.
Following these commitments, India are expected to arrive in New Zealand on 18 October for an all-format tour consisting of five ODIs, five T20Is and two Tests. According to the report, the BCCI and New Zealand Cricket have agreed to increase the ODI leg of the tour from three matches to five. The Tests are scheduled to follow the white-ball fixtures, which are set to begin on 22 October.
India’s schedule from late 2026 into early 2027 also includes a return from New Zealand in early December to host Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is. That series will be followed by the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India in January–February 2027, before the next season of the Indian Premier League takes place from March to May.
