India will host Zimbabwe and Bangladesh for three-T20I series for the first time (Source: AP)The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced the schedule for home season 2019-20 that consists of 5 Tests, 9 ODIs and 12 T20Is. After World Cup 2019, India will face South Africa in the Freedom Trophy starting September 15. It includes three T20Is followed by three Tests.
After the conclusion of Freedom Trophy on October 23, India will host neighbours Bangladesh for three T20Is and two Tests. This is the first time when India will be hosting Bangladesh for two-Test series. India last hosted Bangladesh for a one-off Test in 2017 at Hyderabad where hosts won by a huge margin of 208 runs.
Similarly, India have never hosted Bangladesh for a T20I series. The only T20I they have played against Bangladesh at home was during T20 World Cup 2016 which they won by a narrow margin of one run.
In December, West Indies will tour India for three T20Is and ODIs starting December 6. In January 2020, Zimbabwe will tour India for three T20Is. This will be Zimbabwe’s first tours of India for a T20I series.
Later in January, Australia will tour India for three ODIs and then in March India play South Africa once again in a three-match ODI series.
The home season seems to be designed to give Virat Kohli-led India enough practice in the T20I format ahead of T20 World Cup 2020.
