New Zealand are unlikely to play a day-night Test against India this season with the BCCI announcing that all three Tests in September and October would begin at 9.30 am.
Kanpur will host the first Test from September 22, followed by the second at Eden Gardens from September 30 and the third in Indore, a brand new Test venue, from October 8.
The five ODIs will be played on October 16 in Dharamsala, October 19 in Delhi, October 23 in Mohali, October 26 in Ranchi and October 29 in Visakhapatnam.
In April, BCCI president Anurag Thakur had announced India would host its first day-night Test during the New Zealand tour. A day later, NZC responded that nothing had been finalised. Last week, the chances of the series featuring a floodlit Test reduced further when Thakur himself conceded India were in “no hurry” to play one.
New Zealand is the first of four teams – England, Australia and Bangladesh are the others – India are set to host in their 2016-17 home season, which comprises 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20Is. Thirteen Tests equals the record for the highest number of home Tests in a season; the only other instance was in 1979-80, also in India.
New Zealand’s previous tour to India was four years ago, when they visited for two Tests and two T20 internationals. They lost the Tests 0-2 and won the T20Is 1-0.
Initially, the BCCI’s press release had said Kolkata would host the third Test in October but the schedule was reworked to accommodate Durga Puja festivities.
