Cricket: Black Caps schedule for Indian tour revealed

Black Caps bowler Trent Boult.

The disparity between tests and short form international cricket for New Zealand in the coming season is set to grow, with three ODIs and three T20s in India expected to precede the home summer programme.

They are to be squeezed in between visits by Australia, who are playing five ODIs and three T20s ending in mid-October, and Sri Lanka, who are listed to play three of each form of the game from November 15 to December 24.

No dates have been confirmed but expect New Zealand to be in India around the middle of November.

The ODIs are listed for Pune, Mumbai and Kanpur, with the T20s at Delhi, Cuttack and Rajkot.

New Zealand received an invitation to fill the gap vacated by Pakistan, who were due to visit India but given the political problems between the neighbours that is a tour which was always in jeopardy.

Pakistan last played a bi-lateral series in India in late 2012, three ODIs; their previous visit was 10 years ago.

India haven't travelled to Pakistan's home away from home, the United Arab Emirates, since the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked by terrorists in Lahore in 2009.

The itinerary, which had not been received by New Zealand Cricket as of last night, came out of an Indian board tours and fixtures committee meeting in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Add the schedule into New Zealand's home summer and the breakdown of 33 matches for New Zealand - assuming they reach the final of the T20 tri-series at Eden Park on February 18 - reads: four tests, 16 ODIs and 13 T20s.

Quite what the likes of opening batsman Jeet Raval, wicketkeeper BJ Watling and fast bowler Neil Wagner, all of whom are seen as test specialists, think of the programme would be instructive.

The demanding nature of the short form games, and travel in between, means there will need to be careful management of players.

The four tests, against the West Indies and England, bookend the summer. From December 20 until March 22, New Zealand will play 22 or 23 limited-overs internationals in succession.