South Africa to play four Tests, five ODIs on India tour later this year

Tags: South Africa tour of India 2015, India, South Africa, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers

Published on: Jul 27, 2015

The South African cricket team will play three T20 matches, five one-day internationals and four Tests during their tour of India, which will last from September to December this year

The South African cricket team will play three T20 matches, five one-day internationals and four Tests during their tour of India, which will last from September to December this year. The schedule of the tour, which will last 72 days, was released on Monday. As per the itinerary, this will be South Africa’s longest tour to India. That’s not all. This will be the first time that the Proteas would be play T20 matches against India in India. Also, this will be the first time that the teams would be featuring in a four-Test series in India. In recent years, India and South Africa have featured mostly in two-Test series’.


The schedule for the tour later this year is a clear indication of the close rivalry that has developed between the two teams in the last decade. The long tour will kick off with a practice match in Delhi, which will be a T20 encounter. This will be followed by three T20Is, which will be played in Dharamsala, Cuttack and Kolkata on which will be played between October 2, 5 and 8th respectively. All matches will be day night encounters. The ODI series between the teams will begin on October 11 and end on October 25. The five matches will be played at Kanpur (October 11), Indore (October 14), Rajkot (October 18), Chennai (October 22), and Mumbai (October 25).


Interestingly, South Africa will have a two-day team-building session, which will be held in Goa, something unique apart from the usual practice games. Speaking of practice matches, the Proteas will take part in a two-day tour-match, which they will play in Mumbai on October 30 and 31st against the Board President's XI. This will be followed by the Test series. The first Test will be played in Mohali from November 5-9. The second Test will be held in Bangalore from November 14-18, the third in Nagpur from November 25-29 and the fourth and final one in Delhi from December 3-7.


The second Test to be held in Bangalore will, in all probability be AB de Villiers' 100th Test. The South African one-day skipper has so far featured in 98 Tests, but is not part of the Proteas’ Test squad that is currently in Bangladesh. de Villiers recently also became a father.


South Africa's tour of India: The complete schedule

September 29: T20 tour game in Delhi

October 2: 1st T20I, Dharamsala (Day/Night)

October 5: 2nd T20I, Cuttack (Day/Night)

October 8: 3rd T20I, Kolkata (Day/Night)

October 11: 1st ODI, Kanpur

October 14: 2nd ODI, Indore (Day/Night)

October 18: 3rd ODI, Rajkot (Day/Night)

October22: 4th ODI, Chennai (Day/Night)

October 25: 5th ODI, Mumbai (Day/Night)

October 30-31: Tour match against Board President's XI in Mumbai

November 5-9: 1st Test at Mohali

November 14-18: 2nd Test at Bangalore

November 25-29: 3rd Test at Nagpur

December 3-7: 4th Test at Delhi

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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