India’s Bangladesh tour uncertain? Government approval pending

IND vs BAN: Uncertainty looms over the limited-overs series between India and Bangladesh scheduled for August, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has revealed that the BCCI is still awaiting government clearance to confirm the tour.

India vs Bangladesh: The Indian team is currently on a tour of England, playing a five-match Test series. Following this tour, Team India is scheduled to tour Bangladesh for a limited-overs series. Three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 (T20) matches are slated for August under the ICC Future Tours Programme. This series was initially set to begin on 17 August at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. However, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, and the political situation following the change in the Sheikh Hasina government in August last year, have cast a shadow over the India vs Bangladesh series, as the BCCI is yet to receive government clearance for the tour.

BCB Chairman Provides Update

Aminul Islam, the chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), confirmed after a marathon board meeting on Monday that discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are ongoing. He stated, "We are having positive discussions with the BCCI. We are discussing how we can do the series and if we cannot host it right now, we will do it at some other possible time." Aminul added that while India hasn't formally requested a postponement, the tour hinges on government approval.

Team India's Schedule Packed Until January 2026

Interestingly, Bangladesh is planning for a new window. Team India's calendar is quite busy until January 2026, immediately followed by the T20 World Cup 2026 and then IPL 2026. Therefore, if the India tour of Bangladesh doesn't happen next month, the BCB might have to wait until after IPL 2026.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Set for Return

It's worth noting that India hasn't won an ODI series in Bangladesh since 2014. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both having retired from Test cricket, are poised to return to the ODI setup. The three-match ODI series will commence on 17 August in Mirpur and conclude on 23 August in Chattogram. The T20 series, scheduled from 26 to 31 August, marks India's first bilateral T20 series on Bangladeshi soil.

Suryakumar Yadav May Miss Some Matches

India's T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, is recovering from sports hernia surgery in England. He may miss some initial matches. If unavailable, Axar Patel could lead the T20 team. With the Test team returning from England just 13 days before the ODI series, players like Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant are expected to be rested.