India's Tests Against West Indies and South Africa Swapped Between Delhi and Kolkata: BCCI Confirms Venue Change
On 9 June 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed that the Test match schedule of India's home series against West Indies and South Africa has been swapped.
The second Test against the West Indies was originally scheduled to be held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from 10 to 14 October, but now it will be held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
The first Test match against South Africa, which was scheduled to be held in Delhi from 14 to 18 November, will now be held in Kolkata.
India's Tests Against West Indies and South Africa Swapped
The BCCI has made these changes to protect the health of the players because Delhi's high pollution levels can affect them in November.
Delhi's air quality becomes very poor during the month of November, especially after Diwali, when pollution levels become very dangerous. The BCCI has received a lot of criticism for scheduling the first South Africa Test in Delhi during this time.
A BCCI official said that we prioritise the players and take care of their health and well-being. Earlier matches that have been held in Delhi, like the 2017 Test match, where Sri Lankan players wore masks and some players even vomited, raised a lot of concerns.
Impact on India’s Home Season
By moving the South Africa Test match to Kolkata, the BCCI wants to avoid such issues. Delhi's October Test match against West Indies will be played in better conditions.
India's 2025 home season will begin with a two-Test series against the West Indies. The first Test will be held in Ahmedabad from October 2 to October 6, and Delhi will host the second.
After that, South Africa will play two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20 Internationals. Kolkata will host the first Test, and Guwahati will host the second from November 22 to November 26. This venue swap ensures that players can perform in better conditions.
Other Schedule Updates
The BCCI has also changed other venues. India's Women's ODI series against Australia was originally scheduled to be held in Chennai but has been moved to New Chandigarh and Delhi. Pitch renovation at specific stadiums has been done.
South Africa A's ODI matches against India A have been shifted from Bengaluru to Rajkot. These changes show that the BCCI is focusing on player safety and venue readiness.
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