India to tour SA for three Tests and seven ODIs

[G_B_]

India will tour South Africa for three Tests, seven ODIs and two Twenty20s beginning in December this year and extending to early 2014. This will be the teams' first meeting since two seasons ago when they battled for the No.1 ranking which India held onto under Gary Kirsten. Now, South Africa are mace holders with Kirsten in their camp. There was talk of a fourth Test being built into the schedule but that has not materialised. Mike Gajjar, CSA's manager cricket operations, said it was only ever a "possibility" to have an additional Test and the two boards stuck to what was "entrenched in the FTP." But there is some good news for fans of the longest format. ESPNcricinfo understands the traditional Boxing Day Test will return to Durban after it was cancelled previous season because CSA opted to play three festive T20s instead. Although the other venues have not been confirmed, it is a given that Cape Town will host the New Year's Test and either Johannesburg or Centurion should get the third fixture. Both teams will be short on Test cricket before the meeting. South Africa last played the format in February and will only meet Pakistan for two matches in the UAE before hosting India while their opposition will not play a single Test between now and then. India whitewashed Australia at home in March but have only fifty-over engagements until they fly to South Africa. That includes seven ODIs against Australia after the Champions Trophy which adds to the glut of matches in the format. South Africa do not usually host ODI series of longer than five matches so India's scheduled seven is unusual. It should present an opportunity for some of the less visited grounds in the country, such as the Maritzburg Oval, the chance to host international cricket. India's tour forms part of a bumper summer for South Africa. They also host Australia for three Tests in February-March 2014. Both series are among the more lucrative incoming tours with only England being the other team to bring in sizeable profits from television rights.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/629587.html?CMP=chrome

[Pagalpanti]

Should've been 4 tests and 5 ODI's instead PS Durban :yay: Our only chance at a win vs Saffers

[saneindian]

So no 4-0, I am so relieved And why 7 ODIs? Think we are also playing 7 ODIs vs Aus before this SA series starts. Add another 5 ODIs on the NZ tour that follows SA tour..19 ODIs in little over 4 months would be an overkill Could so easily have restricted the Aus and SA ODIs to 5 match series giving extra time for the team to land in SA and NZ respectively and prepare well

[diga]

So no 4-0, I am so relieved

:hysterical::hysterical:

[G_B_]

I would have preferred more T20s considering the 2014 T20 world cup will be around the corner in april

[vvvslaxman]

4 tests 3 ODIs would have been nicer.

[saneindian]

4 tests 3 ODIs would have been nicer.

BCCI would much rather limit the embarrassment to 2 tests if it had its way

[BeautifulGame]

BCCI would much rather limit the embarrassment to 2 tests if it had its way

Its CSA decision how many tests or ODIs they want.No point blaming BCCI. Its obvious 2 ODIs will generate lot more revenue than a test match. Good thing for us too.We get plenty of chance to test the youngsters in conditions similar to 2015 world cup.

[Small_town_boy]

7 ODIs..!?!? Can't remember when we had one.. I wonder how many of our players will get injured before the tour is over ...this sure will surely test there fitness ...

[SLICKR392]

No more 4 - 0

[BeautifulGame]

7 ODIs..!?!? Can't remember when we had one.. I wonder how many of our players will get injured before the tour is over ...this sure will surely test there fitness ...

England 2007 away 2009 i think at home vs Aus.The Sachin 175 in hyderabad series.Last game in mumbai was washed out though

[Crookbond]

England 2007 away 2009 i think at home vs Aus.The Sachin 175 in hyderabad series.Last game in mumbai was washed out though

Australia 2007 home too.

[carnish]

Those who are complaining about CSA scheduling a 7 match ODI series must know that the FTP had 7 ODIs planned in it. They tried to fit in an extra test match but that could not have been done by reducing 2 ODIs. Hence they sticked to the FTP. Plus even BCCI will host 7 ODIs against Australia before our African Safari.

[ganeshran]

4-0 avoided :yess: Srini mama :hatsoff:

[harmuk]

Hmm..7 ODI's. Really. This format should be extinct. Test cricket (purest form of the game, should always be there) and 20-20 (a better evolved format, from the boring 50 over variety)should do.

[Sooda]

India play tri series in WI with WI and SL straight after Champions Trophy, that starts in the end of June Looks like there are a random 3 ODIs in Zimbabwe in July, but that will be an A team effectively I guess- A team tour to SA could be around or after then because from what I can see then there is a bit of a break before CL t20 in September and the Aus series, 7 ODIs and 1 T20... and yes that could have been shorter to allow us to go to SA earlier and play 4 matches and acclimatize... 5 ODIs and no T20... Maybe senior players could have played domestic cricket for a change, Duleep trophy is in October ... then had a 10 day camp before setting off for SA and playing 4 day matches, instead of that Aus ODI series.... why does there have to be a 'home season' shoe horned in

[FischerTal]

going out on a limb here and saying it will be a draw again. I expect Umi to live up to his potential in this series.

[Stuge]

Saved .. really .. otherwise another 4-0 loss was on the card. Cleverly scheduled by BCCI !.bolo BCCI zindabad ;)

[Trichromatic]

7 ODIs :headshake:

[kubrickian]

7 ODIs is good because the pitches there usually have some pace and bounce and similar to what we will get in Australia for World Cup. India needs to play in those conditions as preparation.