CA rejigs fixtures amidst tight home season

SYDNEY: Australia’s ODI squad is slated to play an away series in India next summer, marking a significant shift in the schedule of the home season.

The unprecedented move will see the Australians take on India in a three-match series next January, with a previously scheduled ODI series against New Zealand to be moved to a yet-to-be determined date.

As outlined in the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, Australia’s jam-packed 2019-20 home summer will include visits from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand for series ranging across all three formats, before they head to Bangladesh for a proposed two-Test series in February.

India, meanwhile, are scheduled for an extended tour of New Zealand in early 2020 and then a home limited-overs series against South Africa prior to the IPL.

The logjam has effectively resulted in the agreed away series between Australia and India being played earlier in January — a first foreign jaunt for an Australian ODI team in the month of January.

“We have been working hard to re-jig the schedule to fit a change in dates for the two ODI series, at home with New Zealand and away with India, on the back end of the Sydney Test but there are necessary trade-offs,” a CA spokesperson said. “As a sport, we are fortunate that we have three formats, a compelling international and domestic offering for both men and women. Complexities are bound to and often arise.

“What we are working through is a solution that sees us honouring our commitments, being flexible to their changing needs, balanced with the need to schedule a summer of cricket that works for the fans.”