CSA agree to 'compressed' tour of India

South Africa have agreed to a compressed schedule for the tour of India, comprising two Tests and three ODIs in February next year, if the BCCI is able to assure them that the travel and logistics between venues aren't taxing. According to the dates sent by the Indian board to Cricket South Africa (CSA), the series commences with the first Test from February 4-8 and the second Test between February 12-16; the three ODIs will be played on February 19, 22 and 25. The BCCI will need to send back the final schedule, with the venues, for CSA's ratification.

CSA has in fact, informed the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) of the schedule sent by the BCCI as well. "We are actually compressing the tour a little bit more than we normally would," Tony Irish, SACA's chief, told Cricinfo. "There has been a process of consultation between SACA and CSA on the schedule and though it doesn't comply strictly with the guidelines, we are happy to compromise in order to ensure that Test matches and ODIs are played."

However, he said CSA was happy to go ahead with the BCCI's proposal. "At the moment there is probably a day's less break between the ODIs and we would've liked to see two more days of break between the Test matches."

The only condition CSA have set is for the minimum possible travel time between the matches for the team. "We are prepared to go ahead if the logistics are okay," Irish said. "The day of travel between the matches should not be too long as we have only two rest and practice days. But if we are travelling between one end to other then we will need an extra day of rest."

The standard ICC guidelines for the break days between the Tests and ODIs are not clear and a glance at the prominent series played in 2009 confirms that fact. The Ashes had breaks ranging from three days to 10 days, the recently concluded three-Test series between India and Sri Lanka had a three-day gap between the first two matches and an extra day before the final Test, while in the ongoing Basil D'Oliveira Trophy between South Africa and England, the minimum break is of five days.

However, South Africa's tour of India is an extraordinary case because India want two Tests and three ODIs instead of the originally listed five-match ODI series under the ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP).

With India becoming the No.1 Test team after their series victory against Sri Lanka, pressure was mounting on the BCCI administrators who had blindly scheduled a multitude of ODIs but only seven Test matches in 2010 which included the yet-to-be finalised two Test series in Zimbabwe.

Second-placed South Africa though, agreed to co-operate because they were eager to play more Tests, having played only six Tests this year, including the ongoing Boxing Day Test against England in Durban.