India set to play 158 international matches in four-year period

What's the story?

If everything goes to plan, India are set to play 158 international matches between 2019 and 2023 according to the revised Future Tours Programme (FTP) with the month of April and May set to be a international cricket free window, reserved for the IPL. The BCCI has devised a schedule that sees Indian playing 37 Tests, 67 ODIs and 54 T20Is in the four-year period starting from 2019.

There will also be a much more even split between home and away matches with India set to play 85 home games and 73 away matches in that period. In Tests, India will play 19 home matches and 18 overseas while they will 38 ODIs at home and 29 away from home. In T20Is, they are set to play 28 at home and two fewer away from home.

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There has been a lot of talk recently about the even split between home and away matches that India have to play. The workload management of players has been another issue that has been discussed in several quarters.

The heart of the matter

The schedule has been approved by the Indian cricket team and was discussed at the ICC Chief Executives' meeting in Singapore. As things stand, India aren't slated to play a home game in 2018 with the tour of South Africa that starts on January 5 to be followed by the Independence Cup and the IPL before the tour of England and then Down Under to face Australia.

However, BCCI has also proposed a home series against South Africa in 2018 before going to Australia. The series will comprise of three Tests, five ODIs and one T20I and mark the beginning of the home media rights for five years from April 2018. There are also talks of a home series against Australia and Zimbabwe in the 2018-19 season, with 5 ODIs and two T20Is against the former and one Test and three ODIs against the latter.

What's next?

The BCCI is set to discuss this in the Special General Body Meeting in New Delhi, which will be held later today (December 11).

Author's take

There has been plenty of concern about how India play a large chunk of their games and home and then away from home without a real home season every year. But the revised FTP looks set to change all of that. Having the right balance is key, especially with India hosting the Champions Trophy in 2021 and the World Cup in 2023.