The New Indian Express ·
In a first, India cricketers to occupy visitors' dressing room at Arun Jaitley Stadium for Afghanistan series
CHENNAI: For the first time in their cricketing history, the Indian players will occupy the visitors' dressing room at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the second-oldest functional international cricket stadium in the country, for their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) are the hosts for the series and as per protocol, its players will get the home team's dressing room named after former India cricketer Raman Lamba.
"It will be a unique view as Indian players will come out of the visitors' dressing room named after former India player Prakash Bhandari," an official from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) told this daily. Afghanistan had played their home series against international opponents except India in Dehradun, Greater Noida and Lucknow in the past. But this is for the first time a team will host India on Indian soil.
The three matches will be held on September 13, 15 and 17. Not only the dressing rooms, every protocol will be reversed this time around treating Shreyas Iyer and Co as the away team. "Basically, the DDCA is making arrangements on behalf of the ACB. It has signed an agreement with the Afghanistan board. The ACB has the in-stadia rights including advertisements. So the billboards may have different sponsors unlike the home series. The DDCA will also arrange accommodation for both the teams. It will spend money and then deduct it from the income generated from in-stadia rights, vendors and other sources of income after the series. The remaining amount will be credited to the ACB's account," added the source.
