Guwahati to host maiden Test during India vs South Africa series

KOLKATA: The Barsapara International Stadium in Guwahati will host its maiden Test match from November 22 to 26 when India face South Africa in the second Test, while Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi will host the series opener. Apart from the Tests, the two teams will feature in a three-match ODI series, followed by five T20Is.

While Guwahati has been one of the regular venues for international and Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, this will be the first time the northeastern city will host a Test match, and the BCCI officials indicate that the decision was taken in a bid to spread red-ball cricket across the country.

During a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s apex council in Kolkata on Saturday, it was decided that the three ODIs are likely to be played in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam between November 30 and December 6.

The T20I series will be played from December 9 to 19, with Cuttack, Nagpur, Dharamshala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad being the tentative venues.

Before the South Africa series, India’s men’s team will play a couple of Test matches in October, with the first Test scheduled to be held at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, followed by the second Test in Eden Gardens from October 10-14.

Moreover, when India hosts the Women’s World Cup in September-October, Visakhapatnam has emerged as the top choice for the opening fixture, while four other venues have been shortlisted for the remaining matches.

With the ICC event coinciding with men’s fixtures and domestic tournaments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has chosen Mullanpur, Indore, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati as the other possible venues. Agencies

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