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Next year, India will host Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series, with one match set to be played at Ranchi, as per Saurabh Tiwary, who dismissed the rumours of a venue change.
The upcoming two Test series, away against New Zealand and then against the Aussies at home, will be crucial for Shubman Gill and his boys to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 final. India lost to Australia 4-1 in the last BGT in Australia; they will look to win all five matches in the series.
Why will BGT shift from Ranchi to another venue?
Reports claimed that the Indian team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to relocate the fixture from Ranchi to somewhere else. The BCCI was reportedly finding other options.
According to the reports, they had concerns regarding Ranchi's early winter sunsets during January and February, which could reduce daylight and make it difficult to complete the mandatory 90 overs per day. For now, Ranchi is lined up for the fourth BGT Test scheduled from February 19 to 23, with Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, and Rajkot as possible replacements for Ranchi.
"There is no change": Saurabh Tiwary dismisses venue change rumour for BGT
However, Saurabh Tiwary, secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), has firmly dismissed reports that Ranchi will be replaced as a venue. He clarified that if any letter were to be written to the BCCI regarding the matter, it would come from him, and he has not written any such letter to the board seeking a change of venue.
Ranchi has NOT been dropped as a venue for next year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy 🏏
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) September 18, 2026
JSCA secretary Saurabh Tiwary has dismissed reports of a venue change 👇 pic.twitter.com/tUOJQptFwY
"There is no change in the venue. If anybody has to write to the BCCI about it, it should be me and I have not written it," Tiwary told the media.
India's remaining matches in ongoing WTC cycle
India have seven Test matches remaining in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, with two Tests against New Zealand followed by a five-match home series against Australia.
India’s next WTC assignment will be the two-Test tour of New Zealand. The first Test is scheduled to be played in Wellington from November 19 to 23, while the second Test will take place in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1.
Following the New Zealand series, India will host Australia for a five-Test series (BGT 2027). The opening Test is scheduled in Nagpur from January 21 to 25, 2027. The second Test will be played in Chennai from January 29 to February 2.
The series will then move to Guwahati for the third Test, scheduled from February 11 to 15. The fourth match will be held in Ranchi from February 19 to 23, before the series concludes with the fifth Test in Ahmedabad from February 27 to March 3.
India recently played two Tests against Sri Lanka. The first Test in Galle ended with India securing a 165-run victory, while the second Test in Colombo was drawn.
Meanwhile, the results of upcoming matches will determine India’s position on the WTC table as the cycle progresses towards its conclusion.
