India and Afghanistan will not play a single Test from 2019-2022

Afghanistan who were inducted as full members by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year along with Ireland are slated to play their first Test against Team India in June this year. However, the two teams are not scheduled to play another Test match until 2022. As per the latest Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2019-2022 the Indian team has no matches against Afghanistan.

They do play other top cricketing nations as a Test series against the likes of England and Australia has been included in the recently announced FTP. But the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is satisfied with what they have been awarded. The Chief Executive of the ACB admitted that Team India has a busy schedule and to get a game against them isn’t really easy.

Tough to get hold of India

“India are a tough team to get hold of because they are very busy. Since we are not in Test Championship, the inaugural Test match is good enough for us. We are playing 14-18 Tests in new FTP cycle,” ACB CEO Shafiq Stanikzai said in Kolkata today where he is attending the five-day ICC quarterly meeting.

Afghanistan will travel to India for their first ever Test match that will be hosted at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. ACB’s close ties with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) helped them set up the debut clash against the No.1 ranked Test team.

“Against India, we will be playing only one Test in Bengaluru as per earlier FTP. The new FTP is from 2019 to March 2022,” Stanikzai added.

The Afghans though not a part of the Test Championship are set to play bilateral Test series’ at home and away against England, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the other new Test member Ireland.

“These series does not come under the Test Championship, these will be all bilateral series — home and away.”

They are also considering the options for playing a day-night Test match. “As of now it’s not yet decided. But there will be, we are deliberating,” Stanikzai added.

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