Cricket Australia on Friday announced the dates of India’s tour of Australia later this year. The highly anticipated tour of India is supposed to start with a three-match T20 series. After that India are slated to play four Tests and three one-dayers Down Under.
But according to a report in Mumbai Mirror, it is highly unlikely that the T20 series between India and Australia will take place. The T20 series might be in danger because of the global lockdown because of COVID-19. Several reports also suggest that team India not very keen on travelling to Australia twice in three months.
Once the Indian team reaches Australia all the members of the squad will have to be in quarantine for 14 days. Due to the travel requirements, the T20 series in October looks impractical as of now. Another reason why the T20 series could be scrapped is because of the possibility of IPL taking place in October. The current season of the IPL is postponed and there is a chance that it could be played later this year.
India-Australia scheduled to play three T20Is and ODIs and four Tests
If one takes all of this into consideration, then only the Test and the ODI series will go ahead in India’s tour of Australia. The Indian side is scheduled to play the 3 match ODI series next year in January on 12, 15 and 17.
Cricket Australia will also have to reconsider the dates of the pink ball Test match. India and Australia are going to play their first-ever day and night Test against each other at Adelaide.
Since there is only a four-day gap between the first Tests and the day-night Test, India will not be able to play a practice match to prepare for the pink ball. As the Indian captain, Virat Kohli has already made it clear that before the pink ball Test his team would need a practice match.
