Australia to play two T20s and five one-dayers from late February as preparations for World Cup ramp up
India reveal dates for Aussie white-ball visit
The road to the 2019 World Cup will take Australia to the subcontinent after the BCCI today announced the dates of a limited-overs tour that begins next month.
Australia will play two T20 internationals and five ODIs in India, starting with 20-over contests in Bengaluru on February 24 and Visakhapatnam (Vizag) three days later.
Once the T20 component of the tour is complete, the shift focuses to the 50-over format for five matches that will be crucial to Australia's fine-tuning before their campaign to defend the World Cup title they won in 2015.
The first ODI takes place in Hyderabad on March 2 before the tour moves around India to Nagpur (March 5), Ranchi (March 8), Mohali (March 10) and finally in Delhi (March 13).
The series will be crucial for Australia's selectors to get a look at the players in contention for the 15-man World Cup squad, that must be submitted to the ICC by April 23.
Australia have only 13 ODIs between now and their first World Cup match against Afghanistan on June 1; three matches in Australia against India from January 12, the five matches in India in March and then five more against Pakistan in the UAE.
The dates and venues for the Pakistan series are yet to be announced.
Australia last won an ODI series in India 10 years ago when Ricky Ponting's men claimed a seven-match series 4-2, with Mike Hussey leading the run-scorers and Shane Watson the top wicket-taker.
Since that triumph in 2009, Australia have lost their past three ODI series in India. However, the 2010 three-match series featured two complete washouts.
Australia boast winning records at two of the five venues; they're undefeated at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and have won three out of four clashes in Mohali.
However, at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, Australia have lost all three games and at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla Ground the tourists have won one from four matches.
India and Australia have played just once at Ranchi, where the match ended in a No Result.
Qantas tour of India
First T20: February 24, Bengaluru
Second T20: February 27, Visakhapatnam
First ODI: March 2, Hyderabad
Second ODI: March 5, Nagpur
Third ODI: March 8, Ranchi
Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali
Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi