New Zealand A to tour India in August-September, might clash with Duleep Trophy

New Delhi: India A will soon be in action as New Zealand A will be on a tour to India. Australia is also expected to come for a tour this year. India A was last seen playing in November-December last year when it played three unofficial Tests in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, India A program will be led by VVS Laxman and his NCA support staff group of Sairaj Bahutule and Sitanshu Kotak. Laxman will also be the coach of the senior men’s team on the tour of Zimbabwe as Rahul Dravid was given a rest ahead of the Asia Cup 2022. The Kiwis are expected to arrive in India by the end of this month. New Zealand A will be playing three four-day matches and three List A games on the tour. All the fixtures are expected to be held in Bengaluru.

A pink ball game has also been proposed by BCCI, but the final approval is pending.  In their previous tour in 2017-18 also, the New Zealand A had played a pink-ball match at Vijayawada, although it was a day game rather than the usual day-night Test matches in the international arena.

New Zealand’s tour is reported to clash with Duleep Trophy which is scheduled from September 8 to 25. According to the report by ESPNCricinfo, BCCI is also in negotiations with Cricket Australia for a tour towards the end of the year. The tour, if happens, will be held before the start of the Ranji Trophy and India’s Test matches in Bangladesh.