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- Dubai 04:24 05:43 12:19 15:46 18:51 20:09
Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers of South Africa walk off at the end of the day's play during day 2 of the 1st Test against Pakistan at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on February 2, 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (GETTY/GALLO)
South Africa will undertake their longest cricket tour of India later this year to contest all three formats over a nine-week period, the Indian board announced on Monday.
The tour, which comprises three Twenty20 matches, five one-day internationals and four Tests, will run between September 29 and December 7.
"This will be the longest tour that we have undertaken to India and the first time we will play a four-Test series," Cricket South Africa CEO Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.
"Both countries are now working to develop this into an icon series. Another first is that we will be playing our first Twenty20 International match against India in India."
South Africa have drawn their previous two Test series in India, the last in 2010, but did claim a 2-0 series win in 2000, their only success in five visits since readmission to international cricket in 1992.
It will be the first time South Africa will play a Twenty20 international on Indian soil in preparation for the World Twenty20 which will be held across India in March-April next year.
South Africa have also never contested a four-Test series in India before, adding a new challenge for Hashim Amla's top-ranked Proteas side.
The tour starts with the three T20 games from October 2 to 8, followed by the five one-dayers from Oct 11 to 25.
The four Tests will be played in Mohali (November 5-9), Bangalore (Nov 14-18), Nagpur (Nov 25-29) and New Delhi December (3-7).
The second match in Bangalore is expected to be South African batting star AB de Villiers' 100th Test.
Schedule:
Sept 29: T20 practice match, Delhi
Oct 2: First T20 international, Dharamsala
Oct 5 : Second T20 international, Cuttack
Oct 8: Third T20 international, Kolkata
Oct 11: First ODI, Kanpur
Oct 14: Second ODI, Indore
Oct 18: Third ODI, Rajkot
Oct 22: Fourth ODI, Chennai
Oct 25: Fifth ODI, Mumbai
Oct 30-31 : Two-day tour match vs Board President's XI, Mumbai
Nov 5-9: First Test, Mohali
Nov 14-18: Second Test, Bangalore
Nov 25-29: Third Test, Nagpur
Dec 3-7: Fourth Test, Delhi
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