Pakistan series on

The Indian cricket control board has not yet ruled out a series against Pakistan next month eve as uncertainty continues on the issue.

Asked if the Board has planned a series in December since the team will not be engaged in that period, BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who on the day replaced his predecessor N. Srinivasan ad ICC president at the board’s 86th annual general meeting, said all would depend on the government.

“We need government permission to play against Pakistan and Board decision will be as per the government stand,” Manohar said.

“Depending on what happens to the series against Pakistan, we have to take a call,” Manohar said.

India finish their ongoing Test series against South Africa on December 7 and are scheduled to visit Australia for a limited overs series in January, leaving a small window open for the BCCI to squeeze in another home series.

As per the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme, Pakistan were to host India but protests by the Shiv Sena derailed the scheduled talks on the issue between Manohar and PCB chief Shahrayar Khan.

Meanwhile, the BCCI on the day approved six new Test centres — Pune, Rajkot, Indore, Dharamsala, Ranchi and Vishakapatnam.

“We are scheduled to play 12 games (Tests) (India host New Zealand and England as per ICC’s FTP). These centres have all facilities for hosting international games,” said Manohar.

Delhi, scheduled to host the fourth and final Test against South Africa in early December was put on standbye, handed a November 17 deadline to get all necessary clearances in the absence of which, the match would be shifted to Pune, the BCCI said.

Manohar also named the nine cities — Rajkot, Pune, Chennai, Vishakapatnam, Cuttack, Ranchi, Nagpur, Indore and Dharamsala — available for the bidders to buy the two new teams to replace the suspended Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, in the next two editions of IPL.

Raina demoted to category B India limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was retained in Group A of the men’s player contracts for 2015-16 by the BCCI.

The other players who were included in the top-level contract worth '1 crore per annum, were Test captain Virat Kohli, leading off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who has been upgraded from Group B.

Slipping down to B category, worth '50 lakh annually, was batsman Suresh Raina, whose name was inadvertently omitted on the BCCI’s website before the Board issued a clarification.

Senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was not in the contracted player-list last season, gained a spot in Grade C after being recalled to the Indian squad by the national selectors.

For the first time, the BCCI offered contracts to women players, splitting them into two groups A and B worth Rs 15 and 10 lakh annually respectively and eleven players made the grade.

Also, debunking suggestions that the BCCI and ICC were not on the same page vis-a-vis conduct of the World T20 Championship in March-April next, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the Board was looking forward towards hosting a successful tournament.