India reveal ODI dates with Australia

India have confirmed dates for Australia's three-match ODI series in the subcontinent in mid-January, paving the way for Australia's limited-overs stars to play a full part in the later stages of the KFC BBL.

Batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner as well as fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood could all find deals with BBL clubs who will enjoy the security of knowing the nation's biggest names will be free of international commitments for the closing stages of the regular season and finals series.

Cummins played one match with the Sydney Thunder last summer while Starc, Hazlewood and Smith have all previously played for the Sydney Sixers.

Warner has previously turned out for the Sydney Thunder but neither he nor Smith have featured in the tournament since BBL|03 in the summer of 2013-14.

Image Id: 847F456C0291423FBFC1FFCFFDF13BD1 Image Caption: Smith and Warner last played in BBL|03 // Getty

Australia will play India in three ODIs on January 14, 17 and 19 in Mumbai, Rajkot and Bengaluru respectively, meaning Australia's World Cup stars could expect to be in action for the later stages of BBL|09 next summer.

An international schedule complicated by Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the Asian nations all playing their home season in the same months saw a log-jam of fixtures. India's commitment to tour New Zealand in February saw Australia's ODI series abroad brought forward.

Image Id: 5899D02843CC45A0B1E9CEA1EA005716 Image Caption: Mitchell Starc last played Big Bash with the Sydney Sixers // Getty

That shuffled the retro-kit themed Chappell-Hadlee ODI series against New Zealand back until mid-March with games in Sydney and Hobart, the latest an Australian summer of international cricket has run in 41 years.

Australia's Test players will finish their international summer by January 7 when the New Year's Test at the SCG is scheduled to end.

Those players that feature in Test and limited-overs formats could be expected to have a few days rest before heading to India for the whirlwind trip but would be back for the final week of the school holidays when the BBL regular season reaches its climax.

The schedule could see BBL clubs hand deals to international players rarely seen in the premier domestic T20 tournament.

Fixtures for the next Big Bash season, the second to operate on a full home-and-away schedule, are yet to be revealed but are understood to include a revamped finals format with more matches in the school holiday period.

Australia last toured India in March this year when Aaron Finch's side came back from an 0-2 deficit to win the five-game series 3-2.

Australia's three-game tour of India is part of a massive home season for the subcontinent powerhouse that includes five Tests, nine ODIs and 12 T20 internationals.

India play three T20s and three Tests against South Africa starting in mid-September. They host Bangladesh for three T20s and two Tests in November before the West Indies visit includes three T20s and three ODIs. Zimbabwe visit for three T20s in early January before the Australia ODIs.

India's home season is also disjointed with their national men's team touring New Zealand in February before returning home to host South Africa for three ODIs in mid-March.

These will be Australia's last bilateral ODIs before the introduction of an ODI 'Super League' in May 2020 that will rank eight of the 10 teams to play in the 2023 World Cup to be held in India.

Australia's limited overs fixtures 2020

January 14: First ODI v India, Mumbai

January 17: Second ODI v India, Rajkot

January 19: Third ODI v India, Bengaluru

February 21: First T20 v South Africa, Jo'burg

February 23: Second T20 v South Africa, Port Elizabeth

February 26: Third T20 v South Africa, Cape Town

February 29: First ODI v South Africa, Paarl

March 4: Second ODI v South Africa, Bloemfontein

March 7: Third ODI v South Africa, Potchefstroom

March 13: First ODI v New Zealand, SCG, 2.30pm (D/N)

March 15: Second ODI v New Zealand, SCG, 10.30am

March 20: ODI v New Zealand, Blundstone Arena, 2.30pm (D/N)