Adelaide to Host the Opener of Border-Gavaskar

The Australian 2018-19 International schedule features a four-test series to be played with India. But it is highly doubtful if there will be a pink-ball Adelaide Oval Test.

Cricket News: The India tour, which consists of 4 tests, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is, is going to be the biggest highlight of the Australian summer

According to the schedule, the Border-Gavaskar series kicks off with the inaugural test to be held on December 6 in Adelaide. But most probably it is not going to be day-night test, which has been the showpiece for the past three Australian summers.

Australia have emerged victorious in all the four pink-ball tests they have played so far, while India has never been a part of day-night test. However reports suggest that India might host a pink-ball test against West Indies in October.

“It is our preference that we play India in a Day-Night Test match in Adelaide, but we are still working through this detail and hope to have an answer on this in the coming weeks,” said James Sutherland, Cricket Australia chief executive, on Monday (April 30).

After the first test, both the teams will play at the new stadium at Perth on December 14. This will be the inaugural test match of the ground. However before that the stadium will have faced an ODI between Australia and South Africa on November 4.

After the test at Perth, India and Australia will play the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

“The Border-Gavaskar Trophy promises to be a bumper series, and it will be headlined by the world famous Boxing Day Test at the MCG. There, we will also deliver a large-scale community festival in partnership with the Victorian Government, which will be a terrific celebration of Indian culture,” Sutherland said. 

Australia and Sri Lanka will play a pink-ball match at Gabba on January 24, the first of the two-match series. The second one will be played at Manuka Oval on February 1. It is the first time men’s Test match will be in Australia in the month of February since 1998.

Australian Men’s team will begin their summer against South Africa in a series which will also feature a T20 at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast, which is going to be their first international experience.

“Cricket continues to look beyond its traditional boundaries by taking our game to new and exciting venues and locations,” Sutherland said. “We welcome the chance to showcase international cricket on the Gold Coast and Canberra this summer and to provide even more fans with the opportunity to experience these matches in person.”