India's tour of Australia at the end of the year will include an additional fixture, as they have confirmed a two-day pink-ball match against a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra. The match is scheduled to take place at Manuka Oval in the nation's capital on November 30 and December 1, falling between the first and second Tests of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series in Australia.
This day-night fixture will provide India with valuable match practice against the pink ball and under lights, ahead of the second Test of the series in Adelaide, which will also be played under similar conditions. The previous day-night Test between Australia and India during the 2020 series saw Australia emerge victorious by eight wickets. The upcoming Adelaide Oval contest will mark the second time the teams face off using the pink ball.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be contested over five Tests for the first time in over 30 years, making this series crucial for both teams as they vie for a spot in next year's ICC World Test Championship final. Australia claimed the inaugural World Test Championship title by defeating India at The Oval last year and will aim to defend their crown in the next edition at Lords in 2025.
Currently, India holds a slight lead in the World Test Championship standings, with Australia closely behind in second place.
Australia v India Test schedule:
First Test: November 22-26, Perth
Second Test: December 6-10, Adelaide (d/n)
Third Test: December 14-18, Brisbane
Fourth Test: December 26-30, Melbourne
Fifth Test: January 3-7, Sydney
Tour match: Prime Minister's XI v India, November 30 - December 1, Canberra (d/n)
Also read| PM Narendra Modi speaks to Aman Sehrawat after Olympic bronze win, says 'your life is an inspiration'
