Pak agree to Test series in India

Lele later told newsmen that the boards of both countries felt that if India and Pakistan can play hockey without any hassles then any further delay in resuming cricketing ties will be detrimental to the development of cricket in Asia. He added that Pakistan thus confirmed to playing three Tests only with no One-Day internationals planned as the two sides have been playing the reduced version of the game fairly regularly.

Pakistan last played a Test series in India in 1986, winning under the leadership of Imran Khan. India made a reciprocal tour in 1989.

The Programme and Fixtures Committee also finalised the development tour scheme ofplaying one-day internationals with upcoming countries Bangladesh and Kenya.

Each team will play two matches against each other, culminating in the final at Calcutta. The day-night fixtures will commence from May 11 with Bangladesh taking on Kenya. India would then play Bangladesh on May 13 and Kenya on May 16.

The same pattern of matches will follow on May 18, 20 and 22 with the finals scheduled to be held two days later.

The venues, except for the final, are not confirmed yet, Lele said. The immediate tour after conclusion of the triangular contest scheduled to commence on April 1, will be to Sharjah where India join Australia and New Zealand. The team for that tour will be selected on April 7 at Kanpur during the one-day match.

Another tour that the Indians embark upon would be to Toronto for the third Sahara Cup five-match series. The matches will be played on September 12, 13, 16, 19 and 20. The team then flies to Zimbabwe to play three one-dayers and a Test with a practice match in between. TheTest starts on October 8 at Harare.

India, however, will not be able to field their best side for the Commonwealth Games to be held at the Kuala Lumpur in September because of the hectic international schedule, Lele informed.

The committee also approved India’s tour to New Zealand where it is scheduled to play three Tests and an equal number of One-Day internationals. The tour takes place from December 4.

ODI VENUE CHANGE OKAYED: The Committee, chaired by BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur also approved the drastic decision of relocating the One-day international between Australia and Zimbabwe from Faridabad to Delhi.

The step was taken after the Pitch and Ground Committee headed by former India captain Kapil Dev presented a negative report of the pitch at the Nahar Singh Stadium, Faridabad.

The committee also took a strong view of a letter written to BCCI secrtetary JY Lele by Haryana Cricket Association (HCA) secretary Ranbir Singh Bansi Lal Mahendra.

Lele in BCCI’s defence produced aletter from Kapil Dev which he said exposed HCA and vindicates BCCI’s position. The letter said the Committee strongly feels that the Faridabad pitch, ground and stadium facilities were not upto international standards.

Dev, present at the meeting today, informed that the HCA was not prepared to incur expenditure to improve conditions although promising on three occasions to do so.

The match will be played at Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla Ground on the same date, April 11. Delhi will host the final on April 14.

Lele said the HCA was told not to overuse the pitch and conveyed the message to former player Sarkar Talwar.

There was no change observed by Dev on three visits. Off the playing area, pathetic conditions were prevalent in the umpires room and the scoreboard has not yet been enlarged.

The loss of the opportunity to host a One-day international could cost the HCA Rs 40 lakh.