Full schedule of India-Australia T20I, ODI and Test series in 2020-21 (October 11-January 17)
Melbourne: Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday (May 28) announced its full international schedule for 2020-21. India are set to play three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs from October 2020 to January 2021. Check out the full schedule here.
Although there is uncertainty over cricket tours due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Australia have made it official the schedule of their summer season.
“While acknowledging the difficulty in navigating a global pandemic, we are nonetheless encouraged by the progress Australia is making in combating the coronavirus and the positive impact that is having on our ability to host an exciting summer of cricket in 2020-21,” CA CEO Kevin Roberts said in a statement. “We know that circumstances or events beyond our control could mean that the final schedule potentially may look different to the one released today, but we'll be doing everything we can to get as much international cricket in as possible this summer. We will communicate any changes to the schedule if or when they are required,” he added.
On the blockbuster India series, Roberts said, “We are working closely with the BCCI to deliver the eagerly anticipated men's and women's tours.”
The Virat Kohli-led Indian side will start off the Australian tour with the T20Is. The opening contest of the three-match series is in Brisbane on October 11. After this, Australia will host the T20 World Cup from October 18 to November 15. After the ICC global event, India and Australia will face off in four Tests for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Then, in the New Year, India will play three ODIs against the hosts.
T20Is
First T20I: October 11 (Sunday), Brisbane
Second T20I: October 14 (Wednesday), Canberra
Third T20I: October 17 (Saturday), Adelaide
Tests
First Test: December 3-7 (Thursday-Monday), Brisbane
Second Test: December 11-15 (Friday-Tuesday), Adelaide (day-night)
Third Test: December 26-30 (Saturday-Wednesday)), Melbourne
Fourth Test: January 3-7 (Sunday-Thursday), Sydney
After the Tests, India and Australia will be involved in three 50-over contests in January 2021.
ODIs
First ODI: January 12 (Tuesday), Perth
Second ODI: January 15 (Friday), Melbourne
Third ODI: January 17 (Sunday), Sydney
Kohli and Australia captain Tim Paine shake hands after the completion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Sydney in January 2019. During the last tour, India won the series 2-1, their first on Australian soil, after 71-year wait.
This is how India celebrated the Test series win in Australia in 2019.
Indian players celebrate with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2019.
Last time, Steve Smith and David Warner were not part of the Test series as they were serving bans for their involvement in ball-tampering scandal.
For the first time, India will play a pink-ball Test against Australia. Last year, they hosted Bangladesh at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. It was their first-ever day/night Test, which they won.