Adelaide, 7 December (IANS). Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Nick Hockley said that the Australian Test team will play three Test matches on the West Indies tour in June-July next year, whereas earlier it was decided that there would be only two matches. As per the new World Test Championship cycle, Australia were scheduled to play only two Tests in the West Indies.
But Hockley said that Cricket Australia and Cricket West Indies have decided to conduct a three-match Test series. The two-Test series between Australia and West Indies in January this year was a 1-1 draw. Australia will go to play a Test series in West Indies for the first time since 2015. At that time Australia had won both the Tests in Dominica and Jamaica.
Hockley said, “I am delighted that three Test matches will now be played. Although we are still awaiting an official announcement from the West Indies Cricket Board regarding the dates and venues, it will certainly be a big three-match series, as it should be.”
He further said, “According to the rules of the World Test Championship, we had to play at least two matches. But three matches is better for the players and fans, because no one is satisfied with the situation of 1-1 in a two-match series.”
When asked whether any of these three matches would be a pink ball day-night Test, he said, “It has not been decided yet. Information will be given when the time comes.”
On the incident of lights switching off twice in the final session during the Adelaide Test on Friday, he said, “It was a matter of switching. We have been assured that it will not happen again.”
Apart from this, while talking about the Champions Trophy 2025, Hockley said that in the current circumstances, the hybrid model seems to be a wise decision. Let us tell you that this tournament is proposed to be held in Pakistan but the Indian cricket team is not going to Pakistan due to security reasons. There is no bilateral cricket of any kind between the two countries. Due to this, the decision on determining the schedule and venue of the Champions Trophy is on hold.
–IANS
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