Team India’s Post-2027 ODI World Cup Schedule Takes Shape: Three Key Series Confirmed

The international cricket roadmap for Team India post the 2027 ODI World Cup is beginning to shape up. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and member boards are working to finalize the 2027–2031 Future Tours Programme (FTP). Key commitments involving the Indian cricket team have been outlined, pointing to a packed international calendar designed to balance multi-format series, global ICC events, and the rise of franchise T20 leagues.

Three Major Series Planned for Team India

As many as three series have been confirmed for the 2011 ODI World Cup champions after the 2027 edition of the ODI World Cup. The “Big Three” of world cricket, i.e., India, England, and Australia, will continue to feature prominently in bilateral arrangements over the next FTP cycle. Check out the three series confirmed for now.

• Tour of South Africa (Late 2027): India will travel to South Africa immediately following the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October and November 2027. The precise breakdown of Tests and white-ball fixtures for this tour is currently being finalized by the respective boards.
• England Tour of India (Early 2028): England will tour India for a multi-match Test series in early 2028, resuming their long-standing red-ball rivalry.
• India Tour of England (2029): India will embark on a return Test tour to England in mid-2029.

In addition to these series, 2028 will represent a landmark year for the sport as cricket will finally enter the Olympics with its T20 format. Both men’s and women’s T20I cricket will take place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

A potential return of the ODI tri-series is on the horizon 

One of the central discussions taking place at the ICC cricket operations workshop in Dubai revolved around the return of the much-loved ODI triangular series. With biennial T20 World Cups taking priority as the ICC’s primary vehicle for global expansion, bilateral 50-over cricket has faced scheduling and context challenges in recent times.

To reclaim interest in the ODI format between the 4-year World Cup cycles, triangular and even quadrangular ODI series will be discussed in the meeting. Tri-series events were a fixture of international cricket in the 1990s and early 2000s, providing greater tournament context and neutral-venue competition.

The proposed return of multi-nation ODI tournaments aims to give standalone 50-over matches meaningful stakes without reintroducing the rigid framework of the previous ODI Super League.

Final Say Expected at the ICC Meeting

While the major commitments involving England, South Africa, and India are largely in the flow, the complete 2027-2031 FTP schedule is undergoing final adjustments and is expected to gain approval at the quarterly ICC meeting in Bali. The full calendar, along with decisions regarding the expansion of the World Test Championship, and some tweaks in the Decision Review System (DRS) will be among the crucial discussions in the meeting.

As of now, Team India is competing in the Asian Games 2026 at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan in the T20 format; at the same time, the ODI team will be hosting West Indies in a 3-match ODI series set to get underway on September 27 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.