Proteas set to lose 'prime' New Year Test following BCCI-forced 'curtailed' tour

South Africa is reportedly set to lose their prime New Year five-day fixture at Newlands in 2014 after Indian media reports indicated that the Indian cricket board has agreed to a bare-minimum two-Test and three-ODI visit, which will all take place during December 2013.

The New Year Test traditionally generates the best home gates of the season in the format for South Africa, as mentioned by the report.

According to Sport24, reports claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed to tour to South Africa for only three weeks and has even turned down a request for a lone Twenty20 international because of India's later commitments in New Zealand in January.

The report mentioned that the newly-intended format of the South African tour shows to the extent which BCCI has gone against cricket South Africa (CSA), which is thought to have much to do with CSA appointing former ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat, with whom BCCI has strained relations, as its chief executive earlier this year.

The report further said that the tour has been drastically reduced from the original three Tests, seven ODIs and two T20 series in favour of India having a longer visit to relative minnows New Zealand from January to February, featuring two Tests and five ODIs.