MUMBAI: India might play their limited-overs leg of the Australian tour before they move on to the marquee Border-Gavaskar Test series, according to a report by ESPNCricinfo.
India’s extended tour of Australia was scheduled to kick off in October with a 3-match T20I series as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup, but with the tournament postponed to 2022, the T20I series was also expected to be discarded. However, if the limited-overs fixtures are played prior to the Test series, the tour could possibly feature a T20I series as well. The post-T20 World Cup leg was scheduled to begin on 3rd December with the Test match at Brisbane, and conclude with the New Year’s Test in Sydney beginning 3rd January 2021.
The schedule is subject to change, owing to a multitude of factors. The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Melbourne, the venue for the Boxing Day Test, being at the top of the list. There’s an effort to ensure the games are played across a minimum number of venues, and a Test series spread across four cities is seemingly unlikely.
If the limited-overs leg acts as the curtain-raiser for the tour, players would not need much of an adjustment period, with most of them flying-in directly after playing in the IPL. Health risks can also be contained with there being a possibility of a single venue hosting all the six games.
Cricket Australia has acknowledged that they have to remain flexible with their scheduling amidst challenges if they are to pull off a successful summer of cricket.
“We are really excited about the home Test summer, both the first Test against Afghanistan and the four scheduled against India,” said Ben Oliver, CA’s head of national teams.”
“We are doing everything we can to get those matches played, to be honest, it’s not without its challenges, there is some complexity in the schedule and our ability to move around the country but we have great support and commitment from our various partners including Afghanistan and India.”
“We are working through that now and everyone is committed to getting as much cricket played as possible. In the same way as this tour of England, it’s with health and safety at the forefront of our thinking and the non-negotiable of our commitment to public health. We remain optimistic about delivering the full Test summer.”
