Team India has a busy schedule ahead of them in 2026, but it could get even busier as the BCCI is reportedly considering requests for adding more ODI matches to the fixture list in preparation for next year's ODI World Cup in South Africa.

The Indian Express has reported that multiple foreign cricket boards, where India is scheduled to tour in 2026, have reportedly asked the BCCI to increase the number of ODIs in their itinerary. Cricket boards like England, New Zealand, Ireland, and Sri Lanka, each of which stands to benefit from extra ODI games, providing a monetary boost.

There is also the added incentive of seeing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who only play ODIs for India, play more matches on tour, bringing in more crowds and eyeballs on social media and TV.

Although T20I matches are typically thought of as the most lucrative format for cricket tours since they draw large crowds and enable the most amount of cricket to be played, things are different for India in particular.

According to the article, Cricket Ireland is working to finalize a three-match summer fixture against India that would take place either side of India's white-ball tour to England. The main questions are whether these three games will be played in Ireland or at a location like Southampton, England, and if they will be in the T20 or ODI format.

Three ODIs and five T20Is are planned for the series against England, but that might also alter because it might be Sharma's and Kohli's final trip to the UK. It is unclear whether a scheduling alteration would result in two additional ODIs for a total of 10 games or two T20Is being swapped out.

Then in August, India will tour Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, and one of those tests is likely to be a day-night encounter at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. However, as per the report, the Sri Lanka board is in conversation with the BCCI to also add white-ball games to the tour.

India might also take on additional assignments with uncertainty over the series in Bangladesh and against Afghanistan in the UAE.

With an eye on the ICC World Cup 2027, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has called for more ODI experience after India’s shock ODI series loss to New Zealand at home. He stated that the team needs more understanding of the pace and flow of an ODI game.

India's first trip to New Zealand for Test cricket in over six years is scheduled in 2026 with an all-format tour. 

There are two test matches, three ODIs, and five T20Is scheduled for now; however, New Zealand Cricket is looking to add two more ODIs to the schedule, with it being the last tour of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the country.

(Indian Express report)