Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) And Cricket South Africa (CSA) The ICC on Friday announced the schedule of India’s all-format tour of South Africa to be played in December and January. The tour will begin with the three-match T20 International series. It will be followed by a three-match ODI series and will end with the Freedom Series for the Gandhi-Mandela Trophy which will consist of two Tests. The first three T20 Internationals will be played in the multi-format starting from 10 December. After that a series of three ODIs and finally two Test matches will be played. In which the traditional Boxing Day Test match will be played in Centurion and the New Year Test match will be played in Cape Town. This will be India’s first overseas tour after the ODI World Cup at home. India will see this as a preparation for the T20 World Cup to be held next year.
The first T20 match will be played on December 10
India will start its South Africa tour with a T20 match in Durban on 10 December. The second match of the T20 series will be held on December 12 in Gkeberha while the third and final match will be played in Johannesburg on December 14. The three-match ODI series will begin on December 17 in Johannesburg while the second and third matches will be played on December 19 and 21 respectively. After the ODI series, India will enter the two-match Test series starting from December 26 in Centurion. The second Test will be played in Cape Town from 3 January 2024.
Jai Shah told the tour special
BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in an official BCCI release, “India has always received strong support in South Africa and I am sure the fans will enjoy some exciting contests that will not let up on the intensity.” The Freedom Series is not only important because it features two outstanding Test teams. But it is also important because it is organized in honor of two great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Both these world leaders shaped our respective countries and the world around them. The Boxing Day Test and the New Year Test are among the most important events in the international cricket calendar and the schedule is specifically planned around these key dates.
BCCI and @ProteasMenCSA announce fixtures for India’s Tour of South Africa 2023-24. For more details- #SAvIND Have a look at the fixtures below pic.twitter.com/ubtB4CxXYX
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 14, 2023
CSA chairman said this
CSA Chairperson Lawson Naidu said, “I am looking forward to welcoming the Indian cricket team and their enthusiastic fans to our shores. It is an important tour for both the teams and I am really glad that it will be a full tour covering all the three formats of the game. Both South Africa and India have exceptional talent and we can expect exciting cricket and thrilling matches. The tour also gives us the opportunity to showcase the best of South Africa and we have spread the matches across the country. We have very good relations with BCCI and I thank them for their support.
Virat left the captaincy due to the Test series defeat in South Africa
Last year, after the defeat in the same Freedom Trophy Test series, Virat Kohli left the Test captaincy of Team India. On 15 January 2022, Virat Kohli surprised the world when he announced on Twitter his decision to step down as Indian men’s cricket test captain. He said that he will no longer remain the Test captain of Team India. Virat Kohli’s announcement came a day after the country’s unexpected defeat against South Africa in the Freedom Trophy 2021-22. Soon after Virat Kohli posted the tweet, disbelief spread across fans and the entire cricket world. Virat Kohli had earlier resigned from the T20 captaincy after India’s defeat in the 2021 T20 World Cup. India’s record in Tests under the leadership of the star batsman has been excellent. Taking the captaincy by storm, Virat Kohli carved a niche for himself and established himself as one of the best captains in the world. Cricket fans at that time called it the “end of an era” by posting heartwarming posts on social media.
