The BCCI are adamant on hosting the Asia Cup next year

India’s tour of New Zealand early next year is highly likely to be trimmed down to two Test matches, two ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals in order for the national team to have adequate time to return home and start preparing for the Asia Cup in February-March.

According to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Future Tours Programme (FTP), India are scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and a one-off Twenty20 International.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are committed to hosting the Asia Cup next year and have begun negotiations with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to ensure that the national team is back home in time for the start of the tournament.

As of right now, no formal agreement has been reached, but the BCCI are looking to trim the number of days of cricket down to 14 from the original amount of 21.

However, NZC will just be relieved to know that a tour will take place since there had been initial fears of the series being called off.

It is also not clear whether the BCCI will reimburse NZC for cutting down the tour.

India have a packed schedule for the first half of 2014, as they will return from South Africa at the end of January before heading off to New Zealand in February and then to Bangladesh before and after the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play in the ICC World Twenty20 and a three-match ODI series.