Board of Control for Cricket in India has rolled out an expansive and meticulously structured schedule for the 2026-27 home season, setting the stage for a high-volume campaign that will span 22 international matches across 17 venues.
The curtain-raiser? A multi-format white-ball showdown against the West Indies cricket team,a series designed to launch India’s season with intensity and global appeal.
White-ball series to set the early tempo
The tour will run from September 27 to October 17, featuring five One-Day Internationals and five T20 Internationals, offering both teams an early test of depth and adaptability.
The ODI leg will be staged across three venues, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, and New Chandigarh, before the action shifts into T20 mode, where five cities will host the shorter format.
Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru will each take center stage, with the latter marking a notable return of international cricket to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, absent from the global calendar since October 2024.
A Nationwide showcase of cricket
The schedule reflects a deliberate effort to distribute top-tier cricket across India’s major centers, ensuring widespread fan engagement throughout the season.
Five venues, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, and Ranchi, have been entrusted with hosting multiple matches, underlining their importance in India’s cricketing infrastructure.
After the West Indies depart, India’s home campaign will continue at pace.
Sri Lanka national cricket team will arrive in December for a six-match white-ball series, evenly split between ODIs and T20Is. Matches will be spread across Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Cuttack, and Pune.
In January, Zimbabwe national cricket team will feature in a three-match ODI series, with fixtures scheduled in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
Test cricket takes center stage
The defining chapter of the season will unfold with a blockbuster five-Test series against Australia national cricket team, running from January 21 to March 7.
Matches will be hosted in Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Ahmedabad, promising a demanding and high-profile contest between two of the sport’s most formidable sides.
Full schedule: West Indies Tour of India
September 27 – 1st ODI, Thiruvananthapuram
September 30 – 2nd ODI, Guwahati
October 3 – 3rd ODI, New Chandigarh
October 6 – 1st T20I, Lucknow
October 9 – 2nd T20I, Ranchi
October 11 – 3rd T20I, Indore
October 14 – 4th T20I, Hyderabad
October 17 – 5th T20I, Bengaluru
A season built for scale and stamina
With five Tests, nine ODIs, and eight T20Is packed into a single home season, India’s calendar reflects both ambition and endurance.
For the West Indies, the opening assignment offers an immediate opportunity to test themselves against one of cricket’s powerhouses. For India, it marks the beginning of a long and demanding journey, one that will require depth, consistency, and resilience across formats.
The marathon begins in September. And it starts with the Caribbean.
