BCCI to move Irani Cup match out of Indore to accommodate IND vs AUS 3rd Test

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to change the venue of the upcoming Irani Cup from Indore to accommodate the third Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 between India and Australia.

The BCCI recently shifted the third Test from HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala to the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore as the former was not prepared to host the five-day game. The third Test is slated to be played between March 1 and March 5.

The Irani Cup, which is an annual domestic competition played between the defending Ranji Trophy champions and the Rest of India, was scheduled in parallel lines as of the India-Australia third Test.

However, the change in venue for the third Test has forced the Indian cricket board to move the Irani Cup fixture out of Indore.

"The match will be moved out of Indore, inevitably," BCCI secretary Jay Shah was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Irani Cup likely to be played in Gwalior

The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) is mulling staging the Irani Cup match between MP and ROI at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior. However, the state association needs to write to the BCCI for approval. Both MP and Rest of India squads are yet to be announced.

Madhya Pradesh were recently knocked out of the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 semi-final by Manoj Tiwary-led Bengal in a crushing 306-run defeat.

The Irani Cup will only take place only after the conclusion of the Ranji Trophy final between Bengal and Saurashtra (February 16 to 20).

This will be the second Irani Cup match played in the 2022-23 season after Saurashtra and Rest of India clashed in October 2022. The ROI emerged winners of the previous Irani Cup as they defeated Saurashtra by eight wickets in Rajkot.

Saurashtra were the champions of the 2019-20 Ranji season and their Irani Cup fixture was postponed in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.