India-Australia third Test shifted to new venue after Dharamsala boycott

The third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia will not be played at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala as it has been deemed unfit for action. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hence on Monday announced Indore's Holkar Stadium as the venue for the third Test match, which will be played between March 1 and 5.

"Owing to harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will need some time to develop fully," BCCI explained in their statement.

Dharamsala was the venue where India had clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when Australia had last visited the country in the 2016/17 series. Kuldeep Yadav had made a sensational debut for India as they beat the then Steve Smith-led side by eight wickets in the final match of the series. India had found themselves 0-1 down after Australia's memorable win by 333 runs in the Pune opener, which remains the hosts' only ever loss at home since 2012. India had levelled the series in Bengaluru before the Ranchi tie was drawn leaving the final Test in Dharamsala as the series decider.

It remains the only ever Test match HPCA Stadium hosted. They have however staged five ODIs and 11 T20Is. As for the Holkar Stadium, Indore recently hosted the third ODI between India and New Zealand last month where centuries from Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma laid the foundation for the Men in Blue's 90 run win. The stadium, which hosted its first-ever Test match - between India and New Zealand back in 2016, has staged just one more so far - against Bangladesh in November of 2019. This will only be the third-ever Test match played at the venue. The stadium mostly acts as a venue for white-ball games, having hosted 6 ODIs and three T20Is between 2006 and now.

Talking about the ongoing series, India have taken a 1-0 lead after scripting a colossal win by an innings and 123 runs in Nagpur last week. India wrapped up the match in just three days after both Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja picked a five-wicket haul.

The second Test match will be played in New Delhi starting February 17 while the final contest of the series will be played in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, starting March 9.