The Barsapara International Stadium in Guwahati is all set to be a Test venue, as it gears up to host its first ever Test match from November 22 to 26 when India take on South Africa in the second of the two-Test rubber, with Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting the series opener. Apart from the Tests, the two teams will feature in a three-match ODI series, followed by five T20Is.
This will be the first time a Test match will be played in India’s Northeast, even though Guwahati has been one of the regular venues for international and Indian Premier League (IPL). BCCI secretary Devajit Lon Saikia confirmed the announcement to The Statesman on Saturday.
The decision was taken at the apex council meeting of the BCCI held in Kolkata on Saturday. The three ODIs could be played in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam between November 30 and December 6. The T20I series could be played in Cuttack, Nagpur, Dharamshala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad from December 9 to 19.
Before the series against the Proteas, the Indian team will host the West Indies for 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.
This is the first time in 12 years that India is hosting the West Indies for a Test series. The Caribbean side last toured India in 2013-14, which was also the final international outing for batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar. The West Indies side, however, toured India for a limited overs series in 2022 for three ODIs and as many T20Is.
Women’s ODI WC
India will host the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup this year tentatively in September-October. Five venues, including Guwahati, have been shortlisted as the ICC tournament likely to coincide with men’s fixtures and domestic tournaments. Besides Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Mullanpur, Indore and Thiruvananthapuram are the other tentative venues.
Visakhapatnam is likely to host the opening ceremony of the tournament, spanning over nearly three weeks. There were discussions around Mumbai and Vadodara as possible venues during the apex committee meeting. However, with both the venues that recently hosted the Women’s Premier League, usually experiencing rainfall at that time, the idea was dropped.
The final of the World Cup could either be played in Guwahati or Indore, depending on the logistical challenges, and approval from the International Cricket Council.