BCCI pushes longer acclimatisation windows in future FTP

The BCCI is preparing to push for a more player-friendly Future Tours Programme, with a clear focus on rest, recovery and acclimatisation before major overseas assignments. The idea is simple but ambitious: build enough breathing space into the next international cycle so India are better equipped for demanding tours in SENA countries.

That conversation is now moving from theory to action. A key FTP workshop is scheduled in Dubai on September 22 and 23, where operations teams from the major boards will gather to shape the 2027-31 cycle. The BCCI will be represented at the meeting, and the discussions are expected to cover scheduling priorities, player workload, and the growing pressure on the international calendar.

BCCI wants more time before tough overseas tours

After a review meeting on the Indian team, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board sees the packed calendar as one of the biggest challenges facing modern cricket. The message from the Indian board is that future schedules must not only protect players physically, but also help them adjust to foreign conditions before major series begin.

“The challenge we are facing is that there are too many matches in the year,” Saikia said, adding that the next FTP should include “proper rest for the players, as well as some kind of acclimatisation or friendly matches before any major series in SENA countries.”

That line will likely resonate with teams across world cricket. Tours to South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia often demand more than just talent; they demand time. Seam-friendly surfaces, long travel and contrasting weather conditions can all tilt the balance, making preparation almost as important as the matches themselves.

India’s schedule is already packed through 2031

Even before the next FTP is finalized, India’s long-range calendar looks crowded with major commitments. The board will have to weave bilateral series around ICC events, World Test Championship obligations and marquee home-and-away tours.

Among the headline fixtures, India are scheduled to host England for five Tests at the beginning of 2028 and travel to Australia at the end of that year. Return tours are also tentatively lined up, with India expected to tour England in 2029 and host Australia again in 2031.

In between, the ICC calendar leaves little room to breathe. India are set to play the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2028, the Champions Trophy in India in 2029, the T20 World Cup in England, Scotland and Ireland in 2030, and the ODI World Cup in India and Bangladesh in 2031.

There are also WTC commitments, including possible trips to South Africa and the West Indies, along with home series against Sri Lanka and another team. In practical terms, the BCCI will need to create gaps without disturbing the commercial and sporting balance of the wider schedule.

The rise of multilateral cricket

One of the more interesting shifts emerging from the wider scheduling debate is the increasing appetite for multilateral cricket. Across boards, there is a growing sense that bilateral series are losing some of their draw, both competitively and financially.

According to the emerging view, tri-series and quadrangulars can offer broader interest and stronger commercial returns. That idea is not entirely new, but it is becoming more relevant as boards look for formats that can generate more value from fewer windows.

Why boards are revisiting the old formats

Recent history shows how rare multilateral tournaments have become. At the moment, a T20I tri-series is being played in Namibia involving the hosts, South Africa and Zimbabwe. But on the ODI side, there has been only one tri-series since the 2019 World Cup, featuring New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan before the 2025 Champions Trophy.

India have hosted very few such events in recent years. Since the 2011 World Cup, there have been four tri-series involving India: one in Australia in 2011-12 with Sri Lanka; another in 2013 with Sri Lanka and West Indies; a tri-series in Australia in 2014-15 with England; and the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 featuring Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The Nidahas Trophy remains the most memorable of the lot for Indian fans, largely because Dinesh Karthik finished it in style with a last-ball six in the final. Before that, the earlier editions were ODI tournaments, while Nidahas was played in the T20I format.

The Asia Cup remains the major multilateral exception, but it operates under the Asian Cricket Council and has a different commercial structure. For host boards, the challenge is not just creating a tournament, but ensuring the right media-rights value and audience appeal.

Commercial realities could shape the next FTP

That financial angle may explain why India have not hosted a multilateral tournament since the TVS Cup in 2003-04, which featured Australia and New Zealand. Multilateral events can add variety to the calendar, but not every market offers the same commercial upside, especially when India are not directly involved in every game.

The economics will therefore matter as much as the cricketing logic. Boards may like the idea of fresher, more flexible formats, but any real shift will depend on how broadcasters, sponsors and host nations see the value of those games.

One industry observer put it bluntly: when schedules are stretched this thin, “every match has to justify its place.” That is exactly the kind of pressure the next FTP workshop will need to address.

Big decisions ahead in Dubai

The Dubai workshop could become an important checkpoint for how international cricket is shaped over the next five years. With boards from around the world, including top Associate nations, expected to attend, the conversation will not be limited to India’s priorities alone.

For the BCCI, though, the goal is clear: protect the team from burnout, give players a better chance to adapt overseas, and find enough room in the calendar to stay competitive across formats. It will not be easy, but this is exactly the kind of planning challenge the board has taken on before.

As the 2027-31 cycle comes into focus, the real test will be whether cricket’s packed calendar can be reshaped without losing the scale, drama and commercial power that keep it moving forward.