India sidestep Bangladesh visit

It remains to be seen whether the likes of Mohammad Ashraful will get the opportunity to shine in India © Getty Images

Bangladesh's tour to India next year is still shrouded in doubt, according to Ali Asghar, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president. Following his return from the ICC meeting in Melbourne, Asghar revealed that he has not received confirmation from the Indian board.

"Bangladesh's tour of India is still on for sometime in next September-October. But we will get a definite response from India only after the approval of ICC's next Future Tour Programme (FTP) which will be ratified in March next year," Asghar told The Daily Star.

Bangladesh's inaugural Test was against India in 2000 and India played a full series against them in Bangladesh in 2004. However, the Indian board is yet to allow Bangladesh a return visit .

Their tour to India was stalled twice but in the same period India played Pakistan at home. Saber Hossain Chowdhury, former BCB president, has criticized Ranbir Singh Mahendra, the BCCI president, on this issue.

Asghar said that the Future Tour Programme is yet to be approved following objections from the Asian and African members, and was adamant that Bangladesh's away series should be included in the ICC's calendar. "The interests of the Asian and African Test countries didn't reflect in the draft FTP, rather it hugely favoured Australia and England. We wanted to play at least two series at home in a year during the period because it would be our main source of income. We have desired to hold at least two triangular series involving India and Pakistan during the next six-year cycle."

India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka all raised objections to the tour programme as it did not allegedly uphold the interests of the Asian countries. Asghar confirmed that the ICC is expected to announce a final Future Tour Programme in its next meeting, to be held in March 2006.