Team for Oz tour to be chosen after second India-Pak Test

MUMBAI: The squad for India's four-Test cricket series in Australia, commencing on December 26, will be picked after the second Test against Pakistan.

"The team for Australia will be selected between the second and third Tests against Pakistan. We can't delay choosing the team," BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said from Rajkot.

India will play second Test against Pakistan at Eden Garden in Kolkata from November 30 to December four and the third and final match would begin at Bangalore on December 8.

The series starts at Delhi on November 22.

Shah said, henceforth, teams would not be chosen on days when matches involving the squad are held.

"We will not choose teams on the day of a match. It becomes difficult for the selectors to concentrate on the game," Shah explained.

India are to play the Test matches for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against hosts Australia at Melbourne (December 26-30, 2007), Sydney (January 2-6, 2008), Perth (January 16-20) and Adelaide (January 24-28).
    
India will later feature in a triangular ODI series with Australia and Sri Lanka, after taking on the hosts in a one-off Twenty20 tie on Feb 1 at Melbourne, from February 3.

The league phase of the Commonwealth Bank Series is to conclude on February 29 followed by a best-of-three finals featuring the top two teams between March 2 and 7.