BCCI attempts to prepone Sri Lanka tour to give India players adequate rest; Sony bags broadcast rights

Action during the 2014 World T20 final between India and Sri Lanka

BCCI are attempting to push forward India’s 3-Test tour of Sri Lanka in August by at least a week so that the players get sufficient rest before the series against South Africa in October. India’s Zimbabwe tour will end on July 19 and the team is scheduled to travel to Sri Lanka on August 11.

BCCI is attempting to reschedule the packed cricketing calendar so that Indian players are fresh for the South Africa series which will comprise four Test matches (Ahmedabad, Delhi, Nagpur and Bengaluru), five One-Day Internationals (Chennai, Kanpur, MP, Rajkot and Mumbai) and three T20 Internationals (Kolkata, Mohali, Dharamshala).

“We are working out the modalities and the programme will be out in 2-3 days. We are keen that the Indian team returns from Lanka by September 2 or so, so that they have a complete break of one month before the home series against South Africa in October-November,” a BCCI source said.

“At present the tour is due to start around August 11 but we want it to be advanced by a week as the team would have returned from Zimbabwe by July 20,” the source added.

The Test series would be India’s first in Sri Lanka after five years, the 2010 series having been drawn 1-1.

Meanwhile, the broadcasting rights for India’s Sri Lanka tour has been bagged by Sony, who have paid USD 3.25 million to SLC. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had expressed disappointment over the initial bid by Ten Sports of 1.85 USD, and Sony have now beaten Ten Sports for the right to beam India’s tryst in the land of their southern neighbours.