Rohit Sharma’s India are on a mission in the Caribbean as they aim to end their decade-old ICC trophy drought in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The Men in Blue, having reached the Super Eight stage of the tournament, are now vying for a semifinal spot for the second consecutive time. However, the Indian team’s cricketing engagements are far from over even after the T20 World Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a packed schedule for the Men in Blue in the 2024-25 season, which includes home series as well as numerous international tours.
The new season kicks off with India hosting Bangladesh, starting September 19. But before getting to that, let’s delve deeper into India’s extensive itinerary post-T20 World Cup.
1 – **India tour of Zimbabwe**: Immediately following the completion of the T20 World Cup, Team India will head to Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series. The tour commences on July 6 with all five matches slated to be played at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. The subsequent fixtures will take place on July 7, July 10, July 13, and July 14.
Here is the detailed schedule for the Zimbabwe series:
– July 6: Zimbabwe vs India, 1st T20I at Harare Sports Club, 4:30 PM IST
– July 7: Zimbabwe vs India, 2nd T20I at Harare Sports Club, 4:30 PM IST
– July 10: Zimbabwe vs India, 3rd T20I at Harare Sports Club, 9:30 PM IST
– July 13: Zimbabwe vs India, 4th T20I at Harare Sports Club, 4:30 PM IST
– July 14: Zimbabwe vs India, 5th T20I at Harare Sports Club, 4:30 PM IST
2 – **India tour of Sri Lanka**: After the Zimbabwe series, India will cross the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka for a multi-format series beginning in the final week of July. The series includes three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is). While the exact dates are yet to be officially announced, the series is expected to kick off on July 27.
3 – **Bangladesh tour of India**: Team India’s focus will then shift back home as Bangladesh tours India in September for a two-match Test series and a three-match T20I series. This will mark Bangladesh’s third Test tour to India.
. The series will start on September 19 with matches being held in Chennai and Kanpur for the Test series and Dharamsala, Delhi, and Hyderabad for the T20Is.
Here are the complete fixtures for the Bangladesh series:
– September 19 to 23: India vs Bangladesh, 1st Test in Chennai
– September 27 to October 1: India vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test in Kanpur
– October 6: India vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I in Dharamsala
– October 9: India vs Bangladesh, 2nd T20I in Delhi
– October 12: India vs Bangladesh, 3rd T20I in Hyderabad
4 – **New Zealand tour of India**: As October progresses, New Zealand will tour India for a three-match Test series. The series will commence on October 16 in Bengaluru, followed by matches in Pune and Mumbai.
Detailed schedule for the New Zealand series:
– October 16 to 20: India vs New Zealand, 1st Test in Bengaluru
– October 24 to 28: India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test in Pune
– November 1 to 5: India vs New Zealand, 3rd Test in Mumbai
5 – **India tour of South Africa**: The action will return to foreign soil as India travels to South Africa in November for a four-match T20I series. This series was originally scheduled for India’s 2021 tour but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although specific dates for the South Africa series haven’t been released, it is anticipated to occur in November.
6 – **Border-Gavaskar series**: Adding more excitement to India’s cricket calendar, the year will conclude with a high-profile Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. Notably, for the first time in 32 years, the series will feature five Test matches, expanded from the usual four-match format. The exact fixtures for this series are yet to be confirmed but are highly anticipated by cricket fans worldwide.
7 – **England tour of India**: As the new year approaches, England will tour India for a white-ball series ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. This series, scheduled for January and February 2025, will comprise five T20Is and three ODIs.
The fixtures for England’s tour to India are as follows:
– January 22: 1st T20I in Chennai
– January 25: 2nd T20I in Kolkata
– January 28: 3rd T20I in Rajkot
– January 31: 4th T20I in Pune
– February 2: 5th T20I in Mumbai
– February 6: 1st ODI in Nagpur
– February 9: 2nd ODI in Cuttack
– February 12: 3rd ODI in Ahmedabad
In conclusion, Team India’s cricket calendar post the T20 World Cup 2024 is jam-packed with a series of challenging and exhilarating matches, both at home and abroad. Cricket enthusiasts across the globe are eagerly anticipating high-octane encounters as the Men in Blue embark on an extensive journey on the cricket field.
