Australia to Host India in ODI/T20 Series in January
India had lost to eventual champions Australia in the World Cup semi-final which was watched by more than 300 million fans on Star TV in India. The two teams will play five ODIs and three T20s Down Under in January.
World champions Australia will host India in five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals in January, it was announced Thursday. (Team India Arrives in Zimbabwe)
Cricket Australia (CA) said it wanted to build on the success of the World Cup co-hosted with New Zealand earlier this year when former champions India lost to Australia in the semi-final in Sydney. (Also read: Joe Root Ton Guides England on Opening Day of Ashes)
"We want to build on this great momentum," CA executive general manager Mike McKenna said. (Why Dhoni's Boots Seem Too Big to Fill)
"Following the World Cup, we are determined that local Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Afghan, Sri Lankan and other overseas-born fans who packed Australia's grounds with good-humoured noise and colour are able to maintain their passion for cricket as part of their adopted Australian lifestyles."
Australia and India are the world's top-ranked one-day teams with their World Cup semi-final watched by more than 300 million fans on Star TV in India, CA said.
CA also announced that the Sydney Cricket Ground will host all internationals in New South Wales state. T20s have been staged at Sydney's Olympic stadium since 2010.
Meanwhile, the dates for India's three-Test series in Sri Lanka have also been confirmed.
The first match will be played in Galle from August 12-16; the second will be held at the P Sara Oval, Colombo from August 20-24 while the final Test will be hosted by the Sinhalese Sports Club, also in Colombo from August 28-31. The matches will be telecast on Sony Six. The broadcasters had issued an itinerary on Wednesday and the Indian board agreed to the dates.
However, there was a small change to the original tour schedule; instead of Kandy, as listed by Sony Six, the final match will be played in Colombo (SSC).
ODI series:
January 12 - Australia v India, WACA Ground, Perth
January 15 - Australia v India, Gabba, Brisbane
January 17 - Australia v India, Melbourne Cricket Ground
January 20 - Australia v India, Manuka Oval, Canberra
January 23 - Australia v India, Sydney Cricket Ground
T20 Internationals:
January 26 - Australia v India, Adelaide Oval
January 29 - Australia v India, Melbourne Cricket Ground
January 31 - Australia v India, Sydney Cricket Ground