The Board of Control for Cricket in India rubbished claims that it was not giving due importance to the tour by South Africa later this year but conceded that there was some 'confusion' about the itinerary of the tour in November and expressed confidence it would be resolved soon.
Reacting to reports quoting a top official of United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) the BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said here that there was no 'misunderstanding' between the two boards but, 'there was still a confusion regarding the itinerary'.
Dalmiya's comments came a day after a Johannesburg-based daily quoted UCBSA chief executive Gerald Majola as saying that India was giving more importance to a tour of Australia in October and that if the issue was not resolved within the next few weeks then it would be taken up with International Cricket Council.
"It is far from truth. We hold South African cricket in high esteem", Dalmiya said in response to the comment that Australia was getting preference.
Dalmiya said that the problem lies with the ICC ten- year programme as per which South Africa is free in October, coming to India in November and hosting England in December. India, on the other hand hosting Australia in October and South Africa in November and free in December.
He further said that for a full series there has to be a minimum of three Tests and same number of one-dayers and on the basis of reciprocity also there has to be three Tests and at least five one-dayers when the Proteas tour India for which two months are required.
"The real problem is that we are having to squeeze in a two-month schedule into a one-month capsule", Dalmiya said adding that UCBSA had proposed to have a series of only one-dayers but BCCI had suggested to have only a three-Test series and later hold a tri-series with South Africa.
Ruling out any change in Australia tour he said, "it would be undesirable to curtail four Tests because this arrangement was agreed upon with Cricket Australia two years ago".
At the same time BCCI was also exploring possibilities of more cricket this year in view of Platinum jubilee of the board and that is why it was approaching different countries.
"But approaching these countries did not mean giving preference to one country over another or BCCI will enter new arrangements at the cost of old arrangements," he said.
Dalmiya, however, felt that this itinerary problem with regard to South African tour was not 'insurmountable' and expressed hope that it would be resolved by this weekend.
"I would be meeting the UCBSA president Raymond Mali during a two-day ICC meeting in Dubai from Wednesday and when we could discuss all the possibilities, including the referral of the matter to ICC", Dalmiya said.
