Australia last played an ODI series in India in 2013-14 © AFP
Australia will arrive in India for a limited-overs series following the conclusion of their tour of Bangladesh in Chittagong, with Chennai scheduled to host the first ODI on September 17. The remaining matches will be played in Kolkata (September 21), Indore (September 24), Bangalore (September 28) and Nagpur (October 1). Australia will then travel to Ranchi (October 7), Guwahati (October 10) and Hyderabad (October 13) for the T20I series.
ESPNcricinfo has independently confirmed the fixtures with each hosting centre, though the BCCI is yet to make an official announcement less than two weeks before the series opener. The board is awaiting ICC clearance for its two new venues – Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram.
An Assam Cricket Association official confirmed that Javagal Srinath, the former India fast bowler and match referee, had inspected the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Monday on the ICC’s behalf. A report is awaited.
In drawing up the itinerary, the BCCI has had to factor in other changes as well, with Bangalore, which was initially supposed to host the second ODI on September 21, now hosting the fourth ODI on September 28. The fixtures are likely to be made official in “a day or two” according to a top BCCI official. Prior to the series, Australia are also scheduled to play a warm-up fixture in Chennai on September 12.
India beat Australia 2-1 in a four-Test series earlier in the year. India also got the better of Australia when they last hosted them for a limited-overs series in 2013-14, clinching the seven-match ODI series 3-2 and winning the only T20I in Rajkot.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram, which was initially allotted a T20I against Sri Lanka, will now host a T20I against New Zealand on November 7 subject to ICC clearance. Kerala Cricket Association secretary Jayesh George said Srinath had inspected the Greenfield Stadium last week. A report is expected to be out soon.
“We were initially supposed to host Sri Lanka in December and Odisha [Cuttack] were supposed to host the New Zealand game in November,” George told ESPNcricinfo. “But, there is a festival in Odisha in November, so we are now hosting the New Zealand game instead.”
Arun Venugopal is a correspondent at ESPNcricinfo. @scarletrun
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo