Irani Cup, Asian Games and ODIs leave little room to prepare before New Zealand and Australia

WTC dreams run into scheduling roadblock

NEW DELHI: With India down to fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, the team management and national selectors have been left coping with a congested schedule as they prepare for the two remaining Test assignments of the cycle – against New Zealand in November and the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia at home beginning on January 21, 2027. India’s tour begins with five T20Is on Oct 22. India ‘A’ will play three four-day, red-ball matches from Oct 24, overlapping with the five-match ODI series. Since so many matches have been packed into a tight schedule, a list of around 60 players was shared to get the visas ready.

Obviously, the touring Australian ‘A’ team won’t be given absolute rank turners with an eye on the BGT, but it wouldn’t hurt if the pitches took some turn later in the match,” a BCCI source said.

The selectors and the team management are in a difficult position as they work out a plan to prepare the players for the Test series,” BCCI sources said. But slipping up in this Test series could end India’s WTC campaign,” said a source. Too Many Overlaps As Captain Gill’s Call For Spin-Friendly Preparation vs Aus ‘A’ Coincides With Irani Cup, Asian Games, WI series… “Indian batters have not been at their best against spin at home over the last two years. Gill suggested that if a few batters could be given game time against Australia ‘A’, with the pitches taking some turn during the course of the matches, it would help them prepare for the BGT. “The problem with the schedule is that there will be very few Test players available for the ‘A’ match. Otherwise, the Rest of India team for the Irani Cup will not be as strong as the selectors would like it to be, and that could affect the standard of the match,” the source added. The first Test is scheduled to begin just four days after the last ODI. “The team management was asked to spell out its preparatory plans for the NZ series. The team management would have liked to field its full ODI side to prepare for the bouncy and seaming conditions in South Africa next year.

“With the India ‘A’ red-ball series overlapping with the ODI series, some of the key Test players may have to be pressed into playing an India ‘A’ match before the ODIs, which would not be ideal preparation for the ODIs, especially with the World Cup barely a year away.