New Delhi, March 26: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the schedule for Team India’s domestic season (2026-27). The Australian cricket team is set to tour India early next year for a five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series. However, the venues for these matches have been revealed, and neither Kolkata’s Eden Gardens nor Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium is included.
Test matches between India and Australia are always thrilling, whether played in India or Australia. Fans in every major city that hosts international matches hope for their city to be selected as the venue. The BCCI aims to provide opportunities for every city, but it has been indifferent regarding hosting Test matches at Eden Gardens and Wankhede Stadium against Australia.
The last encounter at Eden Gardens between India and Australia took place in 2001, where India secured a historic victory thanks to memorable performances from VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, and strong bowling from Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar. This win is etched in the annals of Test cricket history. Since then, Australia has toured India multiple times for Test series, yet no matches have been held at Eden Gardens, which is concerning.
Similarly, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai last hosted a Test match between India and Australia in 2004. India won that low-scoring match by 13 runs, thanks to an outstanding bowling performance from Murali Kartik. This victory remains one of the thrilling wins against Australia in Test cricket.
Both Eden Gardens and Wankhede Stadium hold historical significance in Indian cricket and have witnessed the sport’s evolution in the country. Thus, excluding these venues from the upcoming Test matches against Australia seems unfair to both the stadiums and their loyal fans. The BCCI should certainly reconsider this decision.
The Border-Gavaskar Series 2027 will kick off with the first Test from January 21 to 25 (Nagpur), the second Test from January 29 to February 2 (Chennai), the third Test from February 11 to 15 (Guwahati), the fourth Test from February 19 to 23 (Ranchi), and the fifth Test from February 27 to March 3 (Ahmedabad).
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.