This is a long series across a very large country, and the honest problem isn't the cricket, it's the calendar. The first two Tests in this pack are close together, and the second and third are nearly four weeks apart. Deciding how to handle that before you book a single flight is what separates a trip that works from one that quietly falls apart.
The schedule for this pack
| Dates | Fixture | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 21 – Mon 25 Jan | 1st Test | VCA Stadium | Nagpur |
| Fri 29 Jan – Tue 2 Feb | 2nd Test | MA Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai |
| Sat 27 Feb – Wed 3 Mar | 5th Test | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad |
Thu 21 – Mon 25 Jan — 1st Test
VCA Stadium, Nagpur
Fri 29 Jan – Tue 2 Feb — 2nd Test
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Sat 27 Feb – Wed 3 Mar — 5th Test
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Play starts at 9:30am IST at all three grounds. The series also includes Guwahati (11–15 Feb) and Ranchi (19–23 Feb), which this pack doesn't cover.
The shape of the gaps
Nagpur → Chennai
Only four days from the last possible day in Nagpur (25 Jan) to the first in Chennai (29 Jan), with three clear days in between. There is no direct flight, so it needs a real connection day through Hyderabad, Mumbai, or Delhi. Note that 26 January is Republic Day, a national holiday, so check opening hours and expect busier travel that day.
Chennai → Ahmedabad
The real planning question: Chennai ends on 2 February and Ahmedabad starts on 27 February, nearly four weeks. You can fly home and back, or fill the gap inside India, and Gir and the Statue of Unity are both realistic from Ahmedabad if you arrive early.
How each Test tends to unfold
Nagpur — decided by day three
Day one tends to play true and slightly slow, spin grips by the second session of day two, and day three has decided the last two India-Australia Tests here. India won inside three days in 2023, so don't book a non-refundable flight for the final day.
Chennai — a spinner's ground
A low, slow pitch that turns, sometimes sharply. Weight your day choices toward comfort over atmosphere across five days in open sun, and expect a knowledgeable crowd.
Ahmedabad — balanced, and enormous
Generally rated good for both batting and bowling, with pace and bounce for quicks and some spin through the middle overs. As the last Test of the whole series, it is likely to carry real stakes however the first four have gone.
Get the full event guide
All 12 planning guides
The real schedule, the shape of both gaps, and how each Test tends to play out are free above. What the schedule can't do is plan your trip. Unlocking adds two day-by-day itineraries with real dates: a Nagpur and Chennai run that fits Tadoba into the three clear days between them, and an Ahmedabad week that puts the Statue of Unity on the only days it can work around the Monday closure, with the four-week gap options laid out.
US$10Rises to US$15 after 2 January