The picturesque Himalayan hill station of Dharamsala will make its debut as a Test venue by hosting the finale of a much-anticipated series between India and Australia starting February next year.
Dharamsala, which is home to the Dalai Lama, is the latest beneficiary of a new drive by the Indian board to take five-day cricket to smaller venues, along with Ranchi and Pune, which will also host their first Test matches.
The opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2017 will be played from February 23-27 in Pune followed by matches in Bengaluru, Ranchi and Dharamsala, India’s board said in a statement Friday.
In June, the board announced India would play as many as 13 Tests in an exhaustive home season with back-to-back contests against New Zealand, England and Australia. Three of those 13 have already been played, with the hosts registering a cleansweep of the Kiwis to regain the No. 1 Test ranking
Bangladesh will also play a one-off Test during the season, their first such outing in India since they gained Test status in 2000.
{{/usCountry}}Bangladesh will also play a one-off Test during the season, their first such outing in India since they gained Test status in 2000.
{{/usCountry}}Schedule:
1st Test: February 23-27, Pune
2nd Test: March 4-8, Bengaluru
3rd Test: March 16-20, Ranchi
4th Test: March 25-29, Dharamsala