BCCI alters schedule for India's home series against Bangladesh, England

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced several venue changes for India's upcoming home season, which kicks off with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh on September 19. 

Notably, the first T20I between India and Bangladesh, initially scheduled for December 6 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, has been relocated to Gwalior.

The BCCI cited ongoing repair work in the dressing rooms at the Dharamsala stadium as the reason for the shift. 

"The first T20I between India and Bangladesh, initially set to be held in Dharamsala on 6th October 2024, will now take place in Gwalior owing to upgrades and renovation work being carried out by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association in the dressing rooms," the board said in a release.

The match in Gwalior will be held at the newly constructed Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium, marking the first international fixture at this venue since the iconic 2010 ODI against South Africa, where Sachin Tendulkar became the first male cricketer to score a double century in ODIs.

While the venues for the two Tests against Bangladesh or the three Tests against New Zealand remained the same, minor adjustments were made to the white-ball fixtures. One significant change involves the T20I series against England. 

The BCCI announced that the venues for the first and second T20Is have been swapped due to a request from the Kolkata Police to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) concerning their Republic Day commitments.

As per the revised schedule, Kolkata will now host the first T20I on January 22, 2025, and Chennai will host the second T20I on January 25, 2025. The dates remain unchanged.

"The Board further announces a swap in the venues of the first and second T20Is against England. Chennai, originally scheduled to host the first T20I, will now host the second, while Kolkata will host the opening T20I instead of the second, as announced earlier. The dates for the first T20I (22nd January 2025) and the second T20I (25th January 2025) remain the same. The venue change was necessitated following a request from Kolkata Police to the Cricket Association of Bengal regarding their prior Republic Day commitments and obligations."