As the four series of tests between India and Australia come to an end, this could be the last test that India will play before the 2019 World Cup, as the scheduled one-off test against Zimbabwe is in jeopardy thanks to a tight schedule.
If the SCG test is India’s last game before the World Cup, the next friendly will be for the World Cup. India is one of the nine teams to participate in the tournament, which begins in July 2019 and runs through to June 2021.
Each team of the tournament will hold a test series (regardless of the number of matches) against six of the other eight teams. Each series should have at least two and a maximum of five matches. Of the six series, three are played at home and three outside.
Although all nine teams may not play the same number of games in the tournament, they will play the same number of series and have a maximum of 720 points. It should be noted that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that arch rivals India and Pakistan will not compete in the first two editions of the tournament.
The points are calculated in the following way:
The points for a win vary depending on the game, while the teams receive 30% of the points when the game ends in a draw and divide the points if the game is a draw.
In a five-game test series, the winning team wins 24 points while the losing team goes home empty-handed. In a draw, the teams each receive eight points.
In a four-game test series, the team that wins a game gets 30 points, while teams receive 10 points if the game ends in a draw.
In a three-game test series, 40 points will be awarded to the team that wins the game. If the game ends in a draw, the teams each receive 13.3 points.
In a test series with two games each test victory is worth 60 points. The team receives 20 points if the game ends in a stalemate.
Year 2019
West Indies (away)
India’s first appearance in the World Cup will be the tour of West Indies shortly after the World Cup. This is India’s first away series of the tournament. They will be playing windies in two test fights alongside three ODIs and three T20Is.
South Africa (home)
India has made an excellent decision to play South Africa at home, as it is a country where India has always struggled hard. India will host South Africa this year in three test matches in the World Test Championship. This will also be India’s first assignment in the tournament.
The proteas will be touring in India for the three-game test series only, returning in February 2020 for the limited number of stages.
Bangladesh (home)
India’s final World Cup test in 2019 will take place against Bangladesh. India will host two test matches, followed by three T20Is in November.
Year 2020
2020 will be a very challenging year for the Indian team as there are six games total on two tours. Both tours take place under challenging conditions for the Men in Blue.
New Zealand (away)
India’s test campaign for the World Cup in 2020 will begin with a New Zealand tour in which the Indians will compete in two test bouts against the Kiwis, who also have three ODIs and up to five T20Is.
This will be the last test series by Virat Kohli and Co. will play before a big break next year.
Australia (away) – December-Jan
India is currently playing Down Under in Australia. In another 18 months, they will once again travel to Australia for a four-game test series, both for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the ICC World Test Championship.
As usual, the series is expected to start in December and last until January. India will also play three ODIs on the tour.
Year 2021
Australia (away)
In all likelihood, India will compete in the New Year’s Test at Sydney’s SCG in the four test series between India and Australia for the 2021 World Cup. India will also play three ODIs on the tour.
This task ends the Indian away matches in the World Test Championship.
England (home)
After the Australian tour, India will play its final world championship tournament, as England will have a five-match series in February and March.
This is also a great decision because India has fought against the poms in its own backyard in the past.
Final (TBD)
In the final of the World Cup, the two best teams in the league will compete against each other. The game will take place in June 2021 and the venue is still pending (probably England).
