India announce venues for Australia, S. Africa Tests
NEW DELHI, July 19: India will host four Tests against Australia and two against South Africa this year, according to the programme released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) here on Monday.
Australia, who arrive in India soon after the ICC Champions Trophy in England in September, begin a five-week tour with a three-day match against the Indian Board President's XI at Hyderabad from Sept 30 to Oct 2.
The first two back-to-back Tests will be played at Bangalore (Oct 6-10) and Chennai (Oct 14-18) before the Australians take a week's break. This will be followed by the third and fourth Tests in quick succession at Nagpur (Oct 26-30) and Mumbai (Nov 3-7).
The last time Australia toured India, in 2001, the hosts defeated the world champions 2-1 in what was widely regarded as the best three-Test series of all time. India, thrashed inside four days in the first Test in Mumbai and trailing by 274 runs on the first innings in the second at Kolkata, engineered a remarkable comeback to win the series.
The rivalry between the teams was further heightened earlier this year when India managed to draw a four-Test series in Australia 1-1 after experts had predicted a 4-0 whitewash in Steve Waugh's farewell Test series.
South Africa, who will arrive in India around Nov 10, will warm-up with a three-day game against India 'A' at Jaipur from Nov 14 to 16. The two Tests will be played at Kanpur (Nov 20-24) and Kolkata (Nov 28-Dec 2).
South Africa are the only team to beat India at home in the last 17 years. They had won a two-test series 2-0 in 2000. Australia and South Africa will not play any One-day Internationals on these tours, BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said.
AUSTRALIA SCHEDULE:
Sept 30-Oct 2: v Indian Board President's XI (Hyderabad).
