The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Wednesday, has announced the away fixtures of Team India for the upcoming series against South Africa.
The full-fledged bilateral series will be beginning from January 5 with the first Test scheduled in Cape Town.
The Virat Kohli-led side will play three Tests against the Proteas-led by Faf du Plessis as six One-day internationals will follow the fixture and the three Twenty20 internationals will culminate the 55-odd day tour with the Cape Town game on February 24.
South Africa will host the Indian cricket team in Cape Town followed by Centurion and Johannesburg for three Tests.
The first fixture of the six-match ODI series has been slated for February 1 in Durban, as the other five venues include Centurion for two matches, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.
Moreover, the first T20I fixture will kick start on February 18 in Johannesburg which will be eventually followed by Centurion, and Cape Town matches.
Formidable India, the World ranked No.1 in Tests and ODIs respectively is supposed to fly the African continent on the eve of New Year after Boxing Day plans for the Test fixture failed owing to visitors’ busy home schedule.
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It’s pertinent to mention that the national selectors would include rest-bound spinners in the form of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who is concurrently enjoying the maiden County season stint in England for Warwickshire.
Moreover, the chairman of selectors M.S.K Prasad earlier revealed the senior players were suggested to rest owing to the rotation policy following the grueling season.
The first-choice spinners would play a crucial in South Africa, as the hosts has not a rich history while facing the slow bowlers except couple of batters, who read spinner well which includes prolific and opening batsman Hashim Amla.
Here’s India’s lined-up bilateral series fixture for 2018:
January 5-9 – 1st Test: Cape Town
January 13-17 – 2nd Test: Centurion
January 24-28 – 3rd Test: Johannesburg
50-over Fixtures:
Feb 1: 1st ODI, Durban
Feb 4: 2nd ODI, Centurion
Feb 7: 3rd ODI, Cape Town
Feb 10: 4th ODI, Johannesburg
Feb 13: 5th, Port Elizabeth
Feb 16: 6th ODI, Centurion
T20I Fixtures:
Feb 18: 1st T20I, Johannesburg
Feb 21: 2nd T20I, Centurion
Feb 24: 3rd T20I, Cape Town