The Indian cricket team has another busy schedule lined up in 2024.
Interestingly, this year sees a lot of red ball action for the Indian team with as many as 15-16 Tests scheduled during this year, including high-profile five-match series against England at home and in Australia at the end of the year.
With the ODI World Cup played in 2023, India featured in just eight Tests, with just four played at home.
India will want to end their ICC World title drought when they compete in the T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by the West Indies and United States in June, immediately after the completion of IPL 2024.
A look at Team India's schedule in 2024:
2nd and final Test against South Africa (January 2024)
India will hope to start the new year on a high when they take on South Africa in a must-win second and final Test in Cape Town from January 3.
Thrashed by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test, the visitors will be desperate to avoid the humiliation of a series whitewash.
3 T20I series against Afghanistan at home (January 2024)
India's next assignment will be against Afghanistan at home.
Afghanistan, boasting of some of the world's top T20 players, won't be easy opponents as they proved during the World Cup last year when they upset fancied teams like England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
5 Test series against England at home (January-March 2024)
India's home season will hit top gear with an eagerly-awaited five-match Test series against England at home, starting in the last week of January.
England were the last team to beat India at home nearly a decade ago in 2012-2013. It remains to be seen if their successful 'Bazball' approach works on the turning pitches in India.
None of the traditional Test centres will host the Tests with the five matches scheduled to be played in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala.
IPL 2024 (March-May 2024)
International cricket will come to a halt as the IPL will be held from March to May 2024.
With the Lok Sabha elections also scheduled to be held in April-May, it will be interesting to see if the BCCI hosts the full tournament at home or stages some games in the UAE like they did in 2019.
T20 World Cup in West Indies-USA (June 2024)
T20 will continue to be flavour of the season. The T20 World Cup will kick-off a few days after the conclusion of IPL 2024.
The United States will host a cricket world event for the first time with New York, Dallas and Florida named as the venues. The majority of the games will be staged in the West Indies.
3 ODIs and 3 T20Is in Sri Lanka (July 2024)
After the T20 World Cup, India will travel to Sri Lanka for a white ball series comprising of three T20 Internationals and as many ODIs.
2 Tests, 3 T20Is against Bangladesh at home (September 2024)
While no matches have been scheduled in August -- a situation which could change in the coming months -- India's next series will be against Bangladesh for two Tests and three T20Is in September.
3 Tests against New Zealand at home (October 2024)
New Zealand's players will travel to India in October for a red ball tour comprising three Tests in October.
5 Test series in Australia (December 2024-January 2025)
The Indian cricketers will then hit the road at the end of the year with another eagerly anticipated five Test series in Australia from December to January.
