Australia are currently the no.1-ranked team in the world in Tests while India stands at no. 2. The two will clash against each other next year for the iconic Border-Gavaskar trophy in a four-match Test series. India have a chance to qualify for the Test Championship final by sealing a whitewash in the series.
Talking about the series, the Indian Cricket Board is set to finalize the venues for the high-profile four-match series, and some sources revealed that Test cricket is likely to return to Delhi after a gap of five years. Delhi last hosted a Test match in 2017 against Sri Lanka.
“Delhi is likely to host the second of the four Test matches as of now. The dates will be out as and when the Tours and Fixtures committee holds its meeting. Dharamsala, which hosted its first and only Test almost six years back, against Australia in March 2017, will probably host the third Test,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying.
What could be the other venues?
India have been impressive in the red-ball circuit in recent times, and the craze among the fans about the longer format has gone to the next level. The Indian Cricket Board would really want to keep the interest of the fans alive in the older format and continue to organize Test matches in India.
The sources also mentioned that either of Chennai or Hyderabad will be hosting the first Test match while the Narendra Modi Stadium will be hosting the final Test match of the series. Dharamsala is also reportedly said to be one of the venues. It is not decided yet as to which of the four test matches will be a D/N match.
India have played only four pink-ball Test matches till now, of which three of them were played in India – one against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2019, another one against England at Ahmedabad, and the last one was played against Sri Lanka at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, earlier this year. In total, 17 pink ball Test matches have been played so far across all the teams.
