Fixed calendar can save Tests in India - Dravid

[ViruRulez]

How exactly is 12-14 tests a yr overplaying?

Thats fine .. I am saying that there should not be too many tests like there was too many ODIs and T20s schedules in recent BCCI schedules.. too much playing of the same format makes it an overkill .. 12 tests is fine IMO It is based on simple calculation there are approximately 8-10 months of cricket for us in a year .. out of that IPL takes nearly 2 months .. so you have around 6-8 months left.. there is T20 WC for another month approx .. that makes it to 5-7 months After every test, there is a rest of at least 3-4 days .. so virtually 12 tests means 12*(5+3)=96 days .. that means another 3 months ... so only 2-4 months are left in which main ODIs and some tour T20s are also often played .. so yes 12 tests are fine but it should not be more than that .. frankly speaking there are more than 3 days rest in most tests .. even in ODIs there are two days rest .. so all this has to be taken into consideration if we calculate the numbers 12 is fine but I dont think we can afford 14 test matches in a calender year as that would create imbalance in the calender year as well as somewhat overkill the 5 day format

[Texan]

It's not even complicated to draw up a regular home/away schedule - just with a minute of thought I came up with one which would fit a 4 year cycle : India plays 2 home series every year - one in October(cycling through Australia, Sri Lanka, England, and West Indies) one in March(cycling through Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bangladesh). In between, they play one away series in December cycling against Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Pakistan (assuming there are ties with them). And they play one away series in the summer cycling against West Indies, England, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. That's 12-14 tests per year (depending on the length of the series) - home and away against all opponents in a 4 year cycle with a regular and predictable home season.

It's not going to be possible to adhere to such a schedule every year because of ICC events (like the ODI WC, ODI Champions Trophy, T20 WC) and because of the IPL. But even if one series is sacrificed every year for these events, then also it would be great.

[Chandan]

It's not going to be possible to adhere to such a schedule every year because of ICC events (like the ODI WC' date=' ODI Champions Trophy, T20 WC) and because of the IPL. But even if one series is sacrificed every year for these events, then also it would be great.[/quote'] Why not? If Australia and England's schedule of home series is NEVER disrupted, BCCI can manage it as well. CT, ODI WC, or T20 WC is mostly held where test matches are not going on. If BCCI will take out the schedule in advance, as Australia and England do, ICC will have to take that into account. We must have a fixed calender.