BCCI likely to send a 23-25 member squad for Australian Tour

The Virat Kohli-led Indian contingent are scheduled to tour Australia for a four-match Test series followed by ODI fixtures. With a lot of things at stake, several cricket experts reckon that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has the potential to be one of the all-time great series.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is most likely to send an extended squad consisting of 23-25 members to Australia, bearing in view the safety regulations. Speaking to PTI, a BCCI official close to the development, said it was justifiable to send an expanded group, which would also help the team in having intra-squad practice matches before the all-important series.

“It is only logical that at least 23 to 25 players are carried just like Pakistan and West Indies did in England. There is no need to call net bowlers from outside and if the players from India A squad also go, it would help us in having a proper four-day first-class match simulation in bio-bubble,” BCCI official privy to the developments said.

However, it is reported that Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, along with a few players who will not be part of the IPL playoffs, could be heading to Australia directly from the UAE by the end of October. In other news, the board will be releasing the fixtures of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) today, as confirmed by the IPL GC chairman Brijesh Patel. The much-anticipated tournament will commence from September 19 with the final scheduled on November 10.