West Indies to play 3 Tests, 5 ODIs in India in October-November

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Tours and Fixtures Committee shortlisted Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad for India's three-Test series against the West Indies during October and November this year.

The committee has allotted the five ODIs to Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Cuttack, Dharamsala and Kochi while Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla will be hosting its first ever international Twenty20 match.

The exact date-wise match-schedule will be finalised later on the basis of logistics.

It was reported that Ranchi was also in consideration as a possible venue for one of the Test matches but a senior BCCI official said that there was no discussion on the same.

"Yes, Ranchi has got the ICC nod and BCCI needs to ratify it as a Test centre during a working committee meeting. But above everything, Ranchi needs to come into the rotation policy system which is in work. How could we have allotted Ranchi a match when there are other centres with valid claims of hosting a Test as per rotation policy," the official said.

Eden Gardens and Dharamsala hosted their last ODI matches in December 2012 and January 2013, against Pakistan and England respectively.

The tour will commence with the ODIs from October 8 and the final match had been allotted to Kochi with Guwahati and Kanpur as stand-by venues, the official added.

The lone T20 international will be played on October 21 followed by a three-day gap before the commencement of three-Test series.

Windies are also drawn to play two warm-up games on October 3 and 6, before the commencement of the ODI series.

West Indies had visited India in November last year to play a two-Test series which turned out to be Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar's last ever series in international cricket. They also played three ODIs matches after the Tests.

The upcoming visit is as per the previous Future Tours Programme of the International Cricket Council.

Image: Dwayne Bravo

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