India’s national cricket team was scheduled to tour Bangladesh in the second half of August for a six-match bilateral series.
However, the tour now appears highly unlikely to proceed on schedule, as the Indian cricket board has yet to receive clearance from the central government.
The tour was set to take place between August 17 and 31, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is in Dhaka and Chattogram.
But according to senior government sources in New Delhi, the current political climate between India and Bangladesh is not conducive to such an engagement.
Indian authorities are reportedly concerned that sending the national team to Bangladesh at this time could send the wrong message, given what they view as deteriorating diplomatic relations and concerns over Bangladesh’s internal situation.
The recent political transition in Dhaka has intensified these apprehensions.
The Indian cricket board has already begun formal discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board about rescheduling the series, possibly pushing it to post-IPL 2026.
If accepted, the tour may not take place before June next year. Officials believe that by then, a newly elected democratic government may be in place in Bangladesh, and relations may have improved.
While India allowed a scheduled Bangladesh tour last September-October to proceed despite political tensions, that decision was largely influenced by World Test Championship (WTC) considerations.
India needed to play those Tests to retain their position at the top of the WTC table. However, this upcoming tour involves no Test matches, so the Indian board faces no competitive penalty if it is postponed.
The earlier tour saw rare security arrangements in venues like Gwalior and Chennai, following pressure from right-wing groups protesting alleged attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Hashtags like #BoycottBangladeshCricket trended on Indian social media. Some protestors even managed to display black flags to the Bangladesh team.
India`s Ministry of External Affairs recently condemned another reported incident involving the vandalism of a Durga temple in Dhaka, adding fuel to ongoing concerns.
As a result, Indian authorities fear that proceeding with the tour in August could be politically sensitive and misaligned with domestic sentiment.
Despite this, the Indian cricket board remains optimistic that the bilateral cricket relationship with Bangladesh will survive the current turbulence.
Senior officials point to the long-standing friendship between the two boards, extending even before Bangladesh earned Test status. They believe the current postponement is a temporary pause, not a permanent setback.
Meanwhile, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan are all expected to participate in the Asia Cup in September, likely to be held at a neutral venue in the UAE.
