Australia A

NEW DELHI: India A and Australia A teams are set to face off in two first-class matches in preparation for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The first game will commence on October 31 in Mackay, followed by the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from November 7-10. Both contests will be four-day events.To further prepare for the series, the Indian senior team will play an intra-squad match against India A in Perth from November 15-17.This match will provide the Indian players with valuable match practice as they aim to secure their third consecutive series victory on Australian soil.The MCG last hosted an Australia A match in 2020, where they suffered a defeat against the England Lions in a day-night encounter.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will begin with the first Test in Perth on November 22 and conclude with the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3-7. This series marks the first time in over three decades that the trophy will be contested over five Test matches. Australia have not emerged victorious in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2017, having lost the past four series by a margin of 2-1, including two defeats on home soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21.“Hosting those A matches at the upgraded Great Barrier Reef Arena and the MCG give these ‘A’ matches significant status and will provide great opportunities to players from both sides to put up their hand for selection,” said Peter Roach, Cricket Australia, Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling.Australia A v India A seriesFirst first-class match: October 31-November 3: Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (10 am AEST)Second first-class match: November 7-10: MCG, Melbourne (10.30 am AEDT)India v India A intra-squad matchNovember 15-17: WACA Ground, PerthIndia’s tour of AustraliaFirst Test: November 22-26: Perth Stadium, Perth (Day match)Second Test: December 6-10: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Day and Night match)Third Test: December 14-18: The Gabba, Brisbane (Day match)Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne (Day match)Fifth Test: January 3-7: SCG, Sydney (Day match).(Inputs from ANI)