Now, Chennai will host first Test

MUMBAI, Jan 12: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today officially announced swapping of the venues of the two-test series...

MUMBAI, Jan 12: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today officially announced swapping of the venues of the two-test series between India and Pakistan to be held at New Delhi and Chennai.

As per the revised schedule, the first test will be held at Chennai from January 28 to February one and the second test in the two-match series would be conducted at Delhi from February 4 to 8, the BCCI Secretary J Y Lele said late this evening.

Lele said he contatced BCCI president Rajsingh Dungarpur at Christchurch following a request from the Union Home Ministry and got the green signal to inter-change the venues. Dungarpur had gone to New Zealand to attend a two-day meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) executive board held on January 10 and 11.

Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had asked the BCCI to consider swapping of the venues.

Special Secretary (Internal Security) Nikhil Kumar told PTI in Delhi that an oral request’ had been made to the cricket board to consider holding the firsttest in Chennai.

The proposal to BCCI was made following a suggestion by Delhi police that the forces would be busy with the Republic Day and connected celebrations and observance of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on January 30, he said.