Hectic schedule ahead
for Indian team
Indian cricketers have a busy schedule the next 14 months as the team is slated to play as many as 22 Tests and 41 One-Day Internationals during the period.
After returning from Zimbabwe, the team will play three Tests each against Sri Lanka,
South Africa and England, all before the end of this year.
Then, next year, it will play three matches in the Asian Test
championship, two against Zimbabwe at home and four each against the West Indies and England, a Borad of Control for Cricket in India official informed in Bombay on Thursday.
During this period the team is also expected to turn out
in 41 one-day internationals, which means
the squad is likely to be on the field every 72 hours.
Added to this hectic schedule is the amount of air
travel.
In case the BCCI approves the three-match One-Day series Down
Under, the team may have to travel straight from Australia for the gruelling tour of South Africa, commencing on October 2, which includes three Tests and a triangular series, with Kenya as the third team.
The Indians take on Sri Lanka earlier in a three-Test series in July-August, followed by a triangular event also involving New Zealand, which is scheduled to end on
September 2.
Then comes the Asian Test championship match with Pakistan
before the three-match Super Challenge 2001 in Australia and the South Africa tour later.
The team is slated to return from South Africa only
in November-end and play a three-Test series in December,
against England. The Englishmen will return home in time for
Christmas and come back for a five-match limited-overs
series against India in January, 2002.
Zimbabwe will arrive next in February-March for a two-Test
rubber followed by either a five-match bilateral series
(between India and Zimbabwe) or a 13-match quadrangular event
featuring these two teams along with Pakistan and the West
Indies, which is in the planning stage now.
Two more Tests, against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, need to
be played by the team as part of the ATC during this period
before the team leaves in April for the West Indies.
The team is scheduled to return by May-end before embarking for
England for a tri-series followed by the Test series.
Mail Cricket Editor
