The Board of Control for Cricket in India will demand mandatory acclimatisation windows and warm-up fixtures before future SENA tours during the 2027-31 Future Tours Programme.
Operations teams from international boards gather in Dubai on 22 and 23 September to draft the upcoming scheduling cycle. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the board instructed its representatives to secure dedicated preparation time before overseas assignments.
County Fixtures Face Overhaul
This structural shift forces the England and Wales Cricket Board to reorganise its domestic summer calendar ahead of India’s next scheduled Test tour in 2029. Integrating multi-day county warm-up matches requires logistical adjustments for host venues and alters the commercial footprint of bilateral broadcast agreements.
“We have instructed our FTP people, who will be meeting very soon at various international forums, that our FTP should be scheduled in such a way that there is proper rest for the players, as well as some kind of acclimatisation or friendly matches before any major series in SENA countries,” Saikia said.
The push follows a formal board review into player workload and recent overseas defeats. Officials noted the physical toll of competing in extensive domestic franchise tournaments immediately prior to international departures.
“The challenge we are facing is that there are too many matches in the year, and that is why, in the next FTP, we will do certain things and take certain measures,” Saikia added.
The Dubai workshop will finalise the operational framework for the next five-year global calendar.
