India A to play three four-day matches against New Zealand: All you need to know

New Zealand will host India A for three four-day matches in Christchurch from October 24, giving the players valuable preparation ahead of the senior teams’ two-Test series later in the year.New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the fixtures while announcing the schedule for the country’s domestic Plunket Shield competition. The three matches will be played alongside India’s white-ball tour of New Zealand.India are set to tour New Zealand from October to December for a busy multi-format assignment featuring five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. The India A matches will give players an opportunity to adapt to New Zealand conditions before the Test series."The domestic red ball summer will also get an injection of international class as New Zealand A host India A for three four-day matches in Christchurch starting October 24," NZC said in a statement.The exact dates of the three India A matches have not yet been announced, but all three fixtures will be held in Christchurch. The senior India team’s white-ball campaign will begin on October 22 with the first T20I in Christchurch.The five T20Is will be played from October 22 to November 1, followed by five ODIs from November 4 to 15. The Test series will then begin on November 19.India return to New Zealand for TestsThe first Test will be played in Wellington from November 19 to 23, while the second Test is scheduled in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1.The tour will be a significant one for both teams. India will play Test cricket in New Zealand for the first time since 2019, while their last white-ball assignment in the country came in 2022.New Zealand Cricket also confirmed that its domestic first-class season will run from November 19 to March 29, with a break during the Super Smash and Ford Trophy competitions.India tour of New Zealand 20261st T20I: October 22, Christchurch2nd T20I: October 24, Christchurch3rd T20I: October 27, Wellington4th T20I: October 30, Auckland5th T20I: November 1, Hamilton1st ODI: November 4, Auckland2nd ODI: November 7, Wellington3rd ODI: November 10, Hamilton4th ODI: November 13, Mount Maunganui5th ODI: November 15, Mount Maunganui1st Test: November 19-23, Wellington2nd Test: November 27-December 1, ChristchurchGet the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.