The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently released the Future Tours Program (FTP) for a phase of the next five years from 2025-2029. In this article, we will have a look at India’s journey in the upcoming FTP cycle.
India Vs Ireland (January 2025) [Home Series: 3 ODIs]
The Women in Blue will kickstart the new FTP cycle with a home series against Ireland in January 2025 which will include a three-match ODI series. It will be a historic occasion as it will be the first time that Ireland will be visiting India for a bilateral ODI series. Notably, Ireland has never defeated India in 12 ODI encounters to date and the series will present another historic opportunity for the visitors, led by skipper Gaby Lewis, to register their first victory in the ODI format against the formidable Indian team.
India tour of England (June-July 2025) [Away Series: 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is]
The Indian team will then travel to England for a white-ball series that will include a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series in June-July 2025. Overall, the Women in Blue has had a challenging time in England in the ODI format with a win percentage of just around 26%. However, they would be backing themselves based on the fond memory they created when they last visited England for a three-match bilateral ODI series in September 2022. They whitewashed the formidable England side for the first time in the ODI format on their home soil. The series is largely remembered as the farewell series for the legendary former Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami.
As far as the T20I format is concerned, they have a slightly better win percentage of 33% against England, away from home. However, there are a lot of things to improve on for the visiting Indian side as they have not won a T20I series in England to date. The ODI series win in England, the last time around in 2022 could serve as an ideal motivation for the side to turn it around in the T20Is as well.
Australia tour of India (September 2025) [Home Series: 3 ODIs]
Women in Blue will then host Australia for a three-match ODI series in September 2025. The Indian team has had a forgettable record against Australia even at home with a disappointing win percentage of around 17%. This series will also present a chance for the Indian team to improve their record in the format against Australia in home conditions, potentially with a series win.
Bangladesh tour of India (December 2025) [Home Series: 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
The Indian team will then host Bangladesh for a white-ball series that will include 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is in December 2025. The last time Bangladesh visited India for a three-match bilateral ODI series was way back in April 2013. India completed a comprehensive series whitewash in their previous meeting. As far as the T20Is are concerned, the result was more and the same (3-0) in April 2013.
India tour of Australia (February-March 2026) [Away Series: All-formats, 1 Test, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
Women in Blue will then travel to Australia for an all-format series that will include a one-off Test match, followed by three ODIs and three T20Is in February-March 2026. The last time India traveled to Australia and played a red-ball game, they managed to hold Australia to a hard-fought draw in September 2021. However, the Indian team hasn’t won a Test match in Australia to date, presenting them with an opportunity to script history away from home in the red-ball format.
In the ODI format, they haven’t won a series with a below-par win percentage of just 25% in Australia. The scoreline reflected the same (2-1) in September 2021. Even in the T20I format, they have a very similar track record with a 25%-win percentage away from home. The last time around when these two sides were up against each other in Australia, the Indian team suffered another series defeat (2-0) in a three-match series in October 2021, one of them being a washed-out game in that particular series.
Tri-series in England, (Involving India and New Zealand) May 2026 [Away Series: 4 T20Is]
India will be traveling to England for a four-match T20I Tri-series that will be played between hosts, England, India, and New Zealand in May 2026. It will only be the 2nd instance when a Tri-series will be played on the shores of England. The first instance was in the year 2018 in the month of June, when New Zealand, South Africa, and hosts, England were involved in a five-match Tri-nation series. The hosts sealed the series by a 4-1 margin. However, there are some similarities between that Tri-nation series to this one, as New Zealand is the common side to be a part of the first-ever Tri-nation series in England in 2018, and this one is set to be played in May 2026. This time around, India has replaced South Africa as the 3rd nation.
India tour of England (July 2026) [Away Series: One-Off Test]
Women in Blue will return to England to play a stand-alone red-ball Test match in July 2026. The Indian team has an impeccable record over the years in the red-ball Test matches played in England. An absolute stuff of dreams, even the Indian men’s team over the years have failed to achieve that parameter of success in the red-ball format in England. A potential fortress away from home for the Women in Blue with a couple of victories and 7 draws to their name, as they are yet to be beaten in a red-ball encounter in England, yes, you read it right.
The last time, the Indian team visited England for a Test match in June 2021, they managed to hold England for a hard-fought draw, courtesy of a spirited effort from India’s lower order, consisting of the likes of Sneh Rana, wicket-keeper batter Taniya Bhatia and Shikha Pandey after being asked to follow-on by the England skipper Heather Knight in County Ground, Bristol.
Zimbabwe tour of India (October 2026) [Home Series: 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
The Indian team will then host Zimbabwe for a white-ball series that will include a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series. It will mark a historic occasion as it will be the first instance of Zimbabwe traveling to India for a bilateral white-ball series, what makes the occasion even more significant is that it will also be the first time that Zimbabwe will be up against India at the international level in the women’s game. Now that’s some piece of history that the fans will witness.
India tour of South Africa (December 2026) [Away Series: All-format Series, One-off Test, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
Women in Blue will then travel to South Africa for an all-format series, that will include a one-off Test match, followed by a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series in December 2026. The last time India traveled to South Africa for a red-ball Test match, was way back in March 2002. India emerged victorious on that occasion.
In the ODI format, they have a decent win percentage of 54% in the format in South Africa. The last time they visited the country for a bilateral ODI series, they sealed the ODI series (2-1) in February 2018. As far as the T20I format is concerned, they were last involved in the tri-series involving India, West Indies, and hosts South Africa, in January 2023 ahead of the 8th edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hosted by South Africa in 2023.
Tri-series in Sri Lanka (Involving India and Australia) May-June 2027 [Away Series: 4 T20Is]
The Indian team will then travel to Sri Lanka for a four-match T20I Tri-nation series involving Australia and hosts Sri Lanka in May-June 2027. It will be a historic occasion for Sri Lanka as it will be the first time they will host a women’s Tri-series in their country.
India tour of Ireland (July 2027) [Away Series: 3 ODIs, and 3 T20Is]
Women in Blue will then travel to Ireland for a white-ball series that will include a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series in July 2027. The Indian team has an impressive record in Ireland. The last time they traveled to Ireland for a bilateral ODI series was way back in July 2006. India completed a comprehensive whitewash (2-0) in the ODI series last time. As far as the T20I format is concerned, it will be the first time Ireland will host India for a T20I series.
Sri Lanka tour of India (September 2027) [Home Series: 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
The Indian team will host Sri Lanka for a white-ball series that will include a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series in September 2027. They have a sensational win percentage of 90% with just a solitary defeat. The last time India hosted Sri Lanka for a bilateral ODI series was in February 2016. India completed a comprehensive whitewash (3-0) in their previous meeting in India. As far as the T20I format is concerned, they also whitewashed Sri Lanka (3-0) in the same series in February 2016.
India tour of New Zealand (October 2027) [Away Series: 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
India will then be traveling to New Zealand for a white-ball series that will include a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series in October 2027. The Indian team has a decent win percentage of around 36% in New Zealand in the ODI format. The last time they visited New Zealand for a bilateral ODI series in February 2022, they suffered a series defeat (4-1) in the format. As far as the T20I format is concerned, the record gets even worse as they are yet to taste victory in the T20I format in New Zealand. The last time they were up against each other in New Zealand in the T20I format it was a standalone game in which India ended up on the losing side.
Australia tour of India (December 2027-January 2028) [Home Series: All-format Series, One-off Test, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20Is]
Women in Blue will host Australia for an all-format series that will include a one-off Test match followed by a three-match ODI series and then a three-match T20I series in December 2027-January 2028. The Indian team would have fond memories of hosting Australia for a one-off Test match as they registered a historic, first-ever victory against Australia in the red-ball format in December 2023, what made the victory more special was the fact that it came at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They sealed a comprehensive 8-wicket win. They would be inspired to repeat that inspired performance against Australia.
However, in the ODIs Australia continued their dominant show to whitewash India (3-0) in the series. As far as the T20Is are concerned, they last hosted Australia for a bilateral T20I series in January 2024. However, India ended up on the losing side (2-1) in the series.
India tour of West Indies (June 2028) [Away Series: 3 ODIs]
The Indian team will then travel to the West Indies for a three-match ODI series in June 2028. Women in Blue have a decent record with a win percentage of 50% in the ODI format in the West Indies. India clinched the ODI series (2-1), the last time they visited the West Indies in November 2019. They will be back in the country for a bilateral ODI series after almost 9 years.
Tri-series in the West Indies (Involving India and Australia) July 2028 [Away Series: 4 T20Is]
The Indian team will most probably stay back in the Caribbean after the conclusion of their bilateral three-match ODI series against the hosts West Indies in June 2028. The Women in Blue will be involved in a four-match T20I Tri-series alongside Australia and hosts West Indies in July 2028.
It will be a historic moment for the West Indies as it will be the first time that the West Indies will host a women’s Tri-series.
England tour of India (December 2028) [Home Series: All-format Series, One-off Test, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is]
India will host England for an all-format series that will include a one-off Test match followed by a three-match ODI series and then a three-match T20I series in December 2028. It will also be their last series in the FTP cycle (2025-2029). India has a decent record in the red-ball format against England in home conditions. The Women in Blue will have fond memories of hosting England in the red-ball format as they registered a historic, maiden victory against England in the red-ball format in December 2023. India sealed a massive 347-run victory in a one-off Test match at the DY Patil Stadium.
India has a very impressive record with a sensational win percentage of around 68% against England in the ODI format at home. The last time they played England at home in an ODI series, India sealed the series (2-1) in February 2019. As far as the T20I format is concerned, they have managed to turn the tables, as they have been a dominant side in the format. As a result, India has witnessed a sharp dip in the win percentage (25%) over the years against England. India is yet to win a T20I series at home against England, a record which the women in blue would be keen to improve on. The last time India hosted England for a bilateral T20I series, the result was much the same as India conceded the series (2-1) in December 2023.
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