Team India to play 23 matches at home between September and December

Just after Team India’s stupendous win over Sri Lanka in the first of the three Tests at Galle, here’s another news the fans can cheer about. Between September and December 2017 the Indian Cricket Team will be playing 23 matches at home, and two new Test venues are also likely to be announced. As per reports the team will face off Australia for five ODIs and three T20Is from September to mid-October.

After the Australia series, the team will play New Zealand in three ODIs and three T20s from later October to early November. The home season will finally end in December with three Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka. That is quite a busy schedule for the Men in Blue as well as the fans. Interestingly, all the series’ slotted are against the top teams and that makes for an exciting season moving ahead.

After concluding the affairs at home the team may tour South Africa. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also come up with two new venues for the matches – Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Barsapara in Assam.

“There are a whopping 23 International matches at home. Three Tests, 11 ODIs and nine T20 Internationals. Each and every venue in India will be covered. Barsapara in Assam and Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram have got Test status. Both are vying for Test matches. Most of the bigger centres want either a T20 International or ODIs,” a BCCI official was quoted by PTI as saying.

Some venues may host more than one game 

An official from Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) also stated the aforementioned. “Since Kochi’s Nehru Stadium, which has traditionally hosted ODIs, will be used for he Fifa U-17 World Cup, we are hoping that Greenfields gets its first Test,” he said.

There are possibilities that a few stadiums may get more than a match. “One can be rest assured that atleast 16-18 venues will be covered during this phase,” a source said.