Cricket Australia (CA) has announced changes to the dates of the Commonwealth Bank Test Series. These changes follow discussions with the Australian Cricketers’ Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will now commence in Adelaide on the revised date of Tuesday 9 December.
Revised dates for the Commonwealth Bank Test Series
Tue 9 Dec – Sat 13 Dec Australia v India Adelaide
Wed 17 Dec - Sun 21 Dec Australia v India Brisbane
Fri 26 – Tue 30 Dec Australia v India Melbourne
Tue 6 Jan – Sat 10 Jan Australia v India Sydney
The Brisbane Test has been rescheduled and will take place from 17-21 December.
The revised timing allows for a three-day break leading into the Brisbane Test and a four-day break ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne for players to adequately prepare.
The Sydney Test has also been shifted as a result with its start date moving to 6 January to allow for six day break for players towards the end of a busy series.
It also enables a five-day break leading into the Carlton Mid ODI Series between Australia, England and India.
CA Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the changed program was made due to welfare concerns for Australia’s players grieving the loss of their teammate Phillip Hughes who passed away last week. Hughes’ funeral will take place in the New South Wales town of Macksville on Wednesday 3 December.
“Nobody should underestimate just what these players are going through right now,” Sutherland said. “These are difficult days and we need to support them in dealing with their grief.
“It’s very clear that playing a Test right now is just too soon and we are reacting accordingly.
“We appreciate the understanding of cricket fans around the country, particularly those in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney during these highly difficult times.
“We acknowledge the difficulties this presents within the cricket communities that make these Test matches such terrific occasions. We are grateful to State Cricket Associations and venues in those cities for their understanding and willingness to accommodate such last-minute changes.
“A concern with these changes has been creating congestion within the cricket calendar by holding four Test matches in 33 days. We knew that if we started any later than 9 December, that congestion would only get worse.
“We looked at possibly holding the Brisbane Test in the new year following Sydney but we felt that would only compromise the tri-series against England and India which is important preparation for our ICC Cricket World Cup campaign.
“There will be knock-on effects from these decisions which people will obviously want answers to. We will work through them as quickly as we can, but just ask for patience given these unprecedented circumstances.”
There will be some changes to the schedule for the KFCT20 Big Bash League. CA will advise of these changes in due course.
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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