India seeks to play extra test in New Zealand

The Indian cricket board wants its team to play three tests instead of two on the tour of New Zealand in March and April.

India's tour currently starts March 6 and features two tests, five limited-overs internationals and a twenty20 match.

"The proposal to play an additional test match has been sent to New Zealand Cricket, which will be responding to it soon," Ratnakar Shetty, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's chief administrator, told The Associated Press on Monday.

The cancellation of India's tour to Pakistan in January and February due to strained political relations has left the team short of matches. The Indian board is seeking to play more as its commercial revenue is linked to the number of games the team plays.

News media reports said India was also seeking a play a limited-over series against Sri Lanka.

The BCCI's balance sheet is showing losses after two one-day internationals against England were also scrapped following November's terror attacks in Mumbai that killed at least 164 people.

England went home, but later returned to play two tests in India.

The attacks also led to the postponement by a year of the inaugural edition of a lucrative twenty20 Champions League featuring provincial teams from five nations.

NEW DELHI, AP