In 2018-19, India turned the primary Asian crew to win a Test collection in Australia. Two years later, regardless of combating the absence of a number of key gamers, India achieved one of many best Test victories on the Gabba to beat Australia 2-1 as soon as once more. On each events, there have been calls for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to be contested over five Tests, and that has now turn out to be a actuality with the BCCI and CA inking in two such collection in the next 4 years.
According to the close to-remaining draft of the next ICC FTP, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, India will journey to Australia for five Tests in December and January 2024-25, and the return collection will happen in India in early 2027. Both collection are a part of the next two World Test Championship cycles in 2023-25 and 2025-27 respectively.
India are additionally scheduled to play two five-Test collection towards England – at dwelling in early 2024 and away in 2025. The dwelling collection shall be a part of the 2023-25 WTC cycle, whereas the five Tests in England are a part of the 2025-27 WTC cycle.
As per the draft FTP, India are scheduled to play 38 Tests, 4 fewer than England (42) and three fewer than Australia (41). Only two different nations have greater than 30 Tests on their calendar: Bangladesh (34) and New Zealand (32).
According to the norm, the collection that comprise the WTC cycles had been agreed upon by the taking part nations themselves. While the collection (see graphics) for each WTC cycles have been locked, there’s nonetheless room for adjustment in the general variety of matches and dates. As a consequence, the ICC, which performs a facilitating function to assist nations finalise the FTP, has recognized a number of collection in the draft FTP that want to be confirmed doubtlessly by the top of the ICC annual convention on July 25 and 26 in Birmingham, England.
Other Test collection – quick and candy
Apart from the collection towards Australia and England, India play greater than two Tests in a bilateral contest solely as soon as: a three-Test collection at dwelling towards New Zealand in October-November 2024. The remainder of India’s WTC collection are restricted to two Tests. England and Australia, however, are scheduled to play a number of three-Test collection over the next 4 years.
In their dwelling summer time, Australia play three-Test collection towards Pakistan in December 2023 and South Africa in September-October 2026, adopted by New Zealand between December and January 2027. Australia additionally play three Tests in the West Indies in June-July 2025.
England play six collection comprising three Tests – three at dwelling and three away. The dwelling collection are towards West Indies (June-July 2024), New Zealand (June 2026) and Pakistan (August-September 2026). The away collection comprise excursions to Pakistan (October 2024), New Zealand (December 2024) and South Africa (December-January 2027).
Return of the ODI tri-collection
The presence of the ODI Super League, a qualification pathway for the World Cup in the ICC’s present FTP, discouraged boards from scheduling different bilateral ODI collection and tri-collection. But with the Super League being faraway from May 2023, there’s extra space to schedule bilateral ODI collection, and the tri-collection is about for a comeback.
Pakistan are probably to host New Zealand and South Africa in a tri-collection in February 2025, forward of the Champions Trophy in the identical nation. A couple of months later, in June-July, Zimbabwe are scheduled to host New Zealand and South Africa for one other tri-collection. And in October-November 2026, Pakistan are internet hosting a tri-collection involving Sri Lanka and a 3rd nation that’s but to be confirmed.
Five-T20I collection on the rise
The business good thing about enjoying extra T20Is has resulted in an enormous spike in five-match T20I collection proposed in the next FTP cycle. There are 15 collection comprising five T20Is which have been slotted – 9 of them contain India – however some are but to be confirmed.
