CHENNAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India is once again gearing up to play party-pooper to Cricket South Africa’s home summer.
As per the Future Tours Programme (FTP), India is supposed to tour the Rainbow Nation for four Tests and seven ODIs starting from the second week of December, but that is highly unlikely to happen, as BCCI wants to host a tri-series involving New Zealand and Bangladesh.
As things stand, chances are that the Boxing Day Test, scheduled for December 26, might be the tour opener, with January hosting three Tests and the limited-over leg.
Though CSA has not issued any itinerary as of now, it is reliably learnt that they had been in communication with BCCI, with a view to make the most of their summer, particularly at a time when they are hosting their inaugural Global T20 league.
Furthermore, Australia are also set to tour South Africa — after India departs — for a full tour, but in case BCCI pushes the dates back, it is likely to leave CSA in a fix.
When India toured South Africa in 2013, they were supposed to play four Tests, but because of the bad blood which existed between the two boards then, BCCI cut it down to two Tests and three ODIs. The Indian board is unlikely to reduce the number of Tests this time, as ICC has granted iconic tag to the series, whose first series — the Freedom Series for the Gandhi-Mandela Trophy — was hosted by India in 2015.
The limited-over leg might face a threat, as CSA was planning seven ODIs and three T20Is, which might now feature only five ODIs and one T20. What seems to have prompted BCCI has been its policy to play as many matches as possible during their home season, which now runs parallel to what Australia and South Africa have had.
The board, since the 2015 season, has made it a priority to play until at least December to maximise revenues, and last season didn’t schedule even one tour abroad after the West Indies series ended in August.
Keeping this in mind, the BCCI — once Australia departs after a seven-match ODI series in October — is planning a tri-series with New Zealand and Bangladesh. Additionally, a board official revealed that talks were also on to host a three-match Test series, though the opposition has not been finalised yet.
“We want to have our own season before the team departs. The CSA, unlike the previous time, shouldn’t suffer because by then their T20 league will start, and we’ll arrive just at the business end of that tournament. There’s still five months left, and we can always make a change here and there, but this tour won’t be reduced. We’ve given the commitment, and that will not change. It’s just scheduling we want to work on,” an official told Express.
venkatakrishna@newindianexpress.com