India to tour South Africa for 2 Tests,3 ODIs

CSA had requested the BCCI to also include a T20I,but it was turned down.

The Indian cricket board has agreed to a two-Test and three One-day International tour of South Africa after the home series against West Indies thus ending a period of uncertainty,which began when the BCCI rejected Cricket South Africa’s original itinerary. According to the schedule announced by CSA in July,India were to play three Tests,seven ODIs and a T20 game but the BCCI,miffed that Haroon Lorgat was appointed chief executive,rejected the proposal.

Last week Cricket South Africa president Chris Nenzani had met BCCI officials to sort out issues. Nenzani met BCCI president N Srinivasan on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council meeting in London on Saturday,where it was decided that India would tour South Africa,it is reliably learnt. The Indian tour to South Africa will began with a warm-up game.

“The BCCI has agreed to tour to South Africa,which will last about three weeks. Both the cricket boards will announce the final schedule soon,” a BCCI official said.

Cricket South Africa had requested the BCCI to also include a T20 International as part of the tour,but it was turned down. According to the BCCI official,the reason for excluding a T20 game was because the objective was to keep the tour as short as possible because India are scheduled to travel to New Zealand in January next year. The Indian team’s tour to South Africa was under threat after Lorgat who as ICC chief executive pushed for the Decision Review System and commissioned the the Woolf Review Commission,both of which the Indian cricket board was opposed to took over as chief executive of CSA.

Lorgat was also part of the ICC when the India versus England World Cup game at the Eden Gardens was shifted out as the venue was not deemed fit to host the match.

The BCCI had made its reservations clear over Lorgat being appointed as chief executive of Cricket South Africa and once he took charge,BCCI officials played hardball with regard to India’s tour,which was a money spinner for the African nation. BCCI’s secretary Sanjay Patel and Lorgat had met at the ICC’s chief executives meeting in Dubai in September to discuss the way forward,but it became clear that BCCI officials didn’t want to deal with Lorgat directly when CSA president Nenzani was invited for talks earlier this month.