New Zealand Cricket on Monday announced a brief schedule for its home series against India in January-February next year, falling in line with the BCCI’s demand to keep the tour as short as possible.
India will play five one-day internationals followed by a two-Test series against the Black Caps between January 19 to February 18.
Initially the tour was supposed to have three Tests, five One-dayers and one Twenty20 International to be held in February-March.
But the Indian board was reportedly keen on a short visit to New Zealand so that the country could participate in the Asia Cup, which commences in late February. NZC Chief Executive David White said he was happy that India would be playing five ODIs against the hosts.
“It’s brilliant that the Black Caps will be playing five ODIs against the world’s top one day side given the proximity of Cricket World Cup in 2015,” White said in a statement issued on Monday.
White also informed that the venues for the Indian tour will be announced next week. India will begin their ODI campaign against the hosts on January 19 followed by matches on 22, 25, 28 and 31.
The first of the two Tests will be played from February 7 to 11, while the second will take place from February 14-18.
The advancement of tour of New Zealand has created a shadow over India’s tour of South Africa. The NZ tour was originally scheduled to begin in early February but with now slated to start the tour nearly three weeks earlier it’s certain to eat into the schedule of the SA tour that was to end at Johannesburg on January 19.