New Zealand accommodate India stars

Rahul Dravid is one of six Indians expected to feature in the State Championship

Six of India's Test squad are set for a spell in New Zealand's domestic first-class competition ahead of the three-match series which starts next month.

New Zealand Cricket has proposed the move, which will see star batsmen Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, leg-spinner Amit Mishra and emerging trio Murali Vijay, Dhawal Kulkarni and Laxmipathi Balaji each join one of host country's provincial sides for a round of State Championship four-day matches, instead of a warm-up game before the first Test.

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said the plan still needed board approval but added that when the revised schedule, which included an extra Test, was agreed, promises were made that India's Test specialists would be given "some cricket".

"India have bent over backwards to accommodate our wish for three Tests so we have to give them some warm-up," Vaughan said.

"I said to them: 'We won't leave you in the lurch; we will give you some decent warm-up', and one way or the other we will honour that."

Vaughan is reluctant to schedule a practice match because that would mean taking 16 players out of a domestic competition already minus the New Zealand one-day players and New Zealand A, who will be playing England Lions.

Last year NZC came in for fierce criticism when England bowler James Anderson turned out for Auckland, but Vaughan said the situation this time was different.

"This is slightly different because it is almost a deal to get them here for three Tests," Vaughan said.

"I wish there was a better way to do it, we are still evaluating the options. We haven't reached a final decision on it, it will probably be next week.

"My board is considering it at the moment and I've talked briefly to the major associations about it. I understand if there is some opposition to it."

If the proposal is given the go-ahead, the Indians are likely to play in the State Championship games that run between March 6 and March 9.

Wellington are scheduled to play Otago in Dunedin, Canterbury will host Central Districts in Rangiora and Northern Districts will play Auckland in Whangarei.

The first Test in Hamilton gets under way on March 18.