WELLINGTON, Jan 15: India have been allotted an extra Test and a Twenty20 International to their tour of New Zealand, which starts next month.

The two teams were scheduled to play two Tests in Hamilton and Wellington but agreed to add a third in Napier as well as a second Twenty20 International in Christchurch. They will also play five One-day Internationals.

India asked earlier this month to play an extra Test during the tour to help offset losses after the cancellation of matches against England and Pakistan.

“India are probably the most exciting side in the world at present, packed full of superstar players,” New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan said in a statement. “The chance to see six more days of high quality international competition will be welcomed by all New Zealand cricket fans.”

The India team will arrive in New Zealand on Feb 10, eight days earlier than scheduled, with the first tour match being the extra Twenty20 International in Christchurch on Feb 25.

The additional Test in Napier has been sandwiched between the Hamilton and Wellington Tests, forcing organisers to reshuffle several of the original dates.

“There have been a number of issues for both boards to resolve to accommodate the new schedule and I am pleased we have been able to work together to achieve a high quality programme,” said N. Srinivasan, honorary secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

“To have such a strong mix of Tests, One-day Internationals and Twenty20s will be good for both teams and for cricket followers in India and New Zealand.”

After the Twenty20 matches on Feb 25 and 27, the two teams will play five one-dayers starting from March 3.

The first Test in Hamilton will start on March 18, followed by the Napier Test from March 26 and the final match will start on April 3 in Wellington.

India said on Tuesday it would also play five one-dayers and a Twenty20 game against hosts Sri Lanka next month to help fill the gap created by their cancelled tour of Pakistan.

The BCCI said earlier this month it lost around $25 million after two One-day Internationals against England and this month’s tour of Pakistan were cancelled in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai in November.

Revised tour itinerary:

Feb 25: First Twenty20 International (Christchurch).

Feb 27: Second Twenty20 International (Wellington).

March 3: First One-day International (Napier).

March 6: Second One-day International (Wellington).

March 8: Third One-day International (Christchurch).

March 11: Fourth One-day International (Hamilton).

March 14: Fifth One-day International (Auckland).

March 18-22: First Test (Hamilton).

March 26-30: Second Test (Napier).

April 3-7: Third Test (Wellington). —Agencies