The Indian cricket team’s Future Tour Programme (FTP) for the next four years was recently announced and this includes as many as two Border-Gavaskar series. Interestingly, for the first time in over 30 years, it will be played over five Tests.
The only other series featuring India in a five-match Test series will come against England, tentatively scheduled for January-March in 2024.
In all, the Men in Blue are set to play 38 Tests, 42 One-Day Internationals and 61 Twenty20 Internationals between 2023 and 2027. This accounts for a total of 141 matches.
Bangladesh will play the most international matches (150) in the new FTP, followed by West Indies (147), England (142), New Zealand (135), Australia (132), Sri Lanka (131), Pakistan (130), Afghanistan (123), South Africa (113), Ireland (110) and Zimbabwe (109).
Meanwhile, in the third World Test Championship cycle, India play away series against the likes of South Africa, Australia and West Indies. The 2025-27 cycle will see India going head to head with New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka away from home.
Similarly at home during the 2023-25 cycle, India face Bangladesh, England and New Zealand while Australia, South Africa and West Indies also pay visits during the 2025-27 cycle.
As per India’s FTP schedule, they will kick off the year 2023 with a white-ball home series against Sri Lanka, which features three ODIs and as many T20Is. The WTC 2023-25 cycle, on the other hand, will start against the West Indies in July away from home.
It must be noted that India are the only Test playing nation who will not play Pakistan in the entire cycle.
Interestingly, the ICC has also allotted an extended window in April and May every year for the lucrative Indian T20 League. This means the world’s biggest and richest domestic T20 competition will get more space over the next four years.
India’s FTP schedule for 2023-27
2023
| Month | Series/Tournament | Opposition | Venue | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
| Jan-23 | Bilateral | Sri Lanka | Home | 3 | 3 | |
| Jan-23 - Feb-23 | Bilateral | New Zealand | Home | 3 | 3 | |
| Feb-23 - Mar-23 | Bilateral | Australia | Home | 4 (WTC 2021-23) | 3 | |
| Jul-23 - Aug-23 | Bilateral | West Indies | Away | 2 (WTC 2021-23) | 3 | 3 |
| Sep-23 | Bilateral | Australia | Home | 3 | ||
| Oct-23 | ICC Cricket World Cup | India | ||||
| Nov-23 | Bilateral | Australia | Home | 5 | ||
| Dec-23 - Jan-24 | Bilateral | South Africa | Away | 2 (WTC 2021-23) | 3 | 3 |
2024
| Month | Series/Tournament | Opposition | Venue | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
| Jan-24 - Mar-24 | Bilateral | England | Home | 5 (WTC 2023-25) | ||
| Jun-24 | ICC T20 World Cup | West Indies/USA | ||||
| Jul-24 | Bilateral | Sri Lanka | Away | 3 | 3 | |
| Sep-24 | Bilateral | Bangladesh | Home | 2 (WTC 2023-25) | 3 | |
| Oct-24 | Bilateral | New Zealand | Home | 3 (WTC 2023-25) | ||
| Nov-24 - Dec-24 | Bilateral | Australia | Away | 5 (WTC 2023-25) |
2025
| Month | Series/Tournament | Opposition | Venue | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
| Jan-25 - Feb-25 | Bilateral | England | Home | 3 | 5 | |
| Feb-25 - Mar-25 | Champions Trophy | Pakistan | ||||
| June-25 - Aug-25 | Bilateral | England | Away | 5 (WTC 2025-27) | ||
| Aug-25 | Bilateral | Bangladesh | Away | 3 | 3 | |
| Oct-25 | Bilateral | West Indies | Home | 2 (WTC 2025-27) | ||
| Oct-25 - Nov-25 | Bilateral | Australia | Away | 3 | 5 | |
| Nov-25 - Dec-25 | Bilateral | South Africa | Home | 2 (WTC 2025-27) | 3 | 5 |
2026
| Month | Series/Tournament | Opposition | Venue | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
| Jan-26 | Bilateral | New Zealand | Home | 3 | 5 | |
| Feb-26 - Mar-26 | ICC T20 World Cup | India/Sri Lanka | ||||
| Jun-26 | Bilateral | Afghanistan | Home | 1 (WTC 2025-27) | 3 | |
| Jul-26 | Bilateral | England | Away | 3 | 5 | |
| Aug-26 | Bilateral | Sri Lanka | Away | 2 (WTC 2025-27) | 5 | |
| Sep-26 | Bilateral | Afghanistan | Away | 3 | ||
| Sep-26 - Oct-26 | Bilateral | West Indies | Home | 3 | 5 | |
| Oct-26 - Nov-26 | Bilateral | New Zealand | Away | 2 (WTC 2025-27) | 3 | 5 |
| Dec-26 | Bilateral | Sri Lanka | Home | 3 | 3 |
2027
| Month | Series/Tournament | Opposition | Venue | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
| Jan-27 - Feb-27 | Bilateral | Australia | Home | 5 |
Featured photo: AFP / Chandan Khanna
