BCCI eyes October-January window for home matches

Aiming to cash in on the festive season in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is planning to reserve the October-January slot only for its big-ticket home series from 2015, a plan which will also help the busy cricketers avoid taxing international tours.

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The BCCI is toying with the idea of having a home calendar that revolves around the country's festival season that starts with the Dusshera in October till the New Year in January.

The plan is similar to how countries like Australia, England, South Africa and also New Zealand make their calendars wherein specific slots are kept aside for home series, according to a top BCCI official.

The BCCI, the richest board in the world and which is responsible for bulk of international cricket's revenues, has no such window reserved for home matches till now.

The plan will ensure that the players, who have been living out of their suitcases till now and coping with a gruelling international schedule, don't have to stay away from home for long during the festive season.

As far as home series in India is concerned, the present arragements has India playing home Tests in September-October and One-Day Internationals between February and March.

As per the schedule this year, South Africa is expected to tour India in October this year for a four-Test series followed by Pakistan and Sri Lanka coming on shorter tours.

"This way India will get to play at home during the festival season. The plan is to have two home series every year from this year onwards," the official said.

Image: Virat Kohli

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