The Kiwis also played two of their three Tests on their previous tour in 1999 there, losing the series 1-0.

New Zealand, due to arrive in India on September 23, begin their tour with two three-day matches against a Board President's XI and an India A side.

Later the Kiwis will be joined by world champions Australia for a high-profile limited-overs series, also involving the hosts.

Australia, in a rare break from their home season, will travel to India in late October for the 27-day tri-series, according to the schedule released here.

Each team will play the other three times in the league phase with the top two advancing to the final at Calcutta's Eden Gardens on November 18. India's six league matches will all be day-night games.

India will then embark on a full tour of Australia, which involves four Test matches and a one-day series also featuring Zimbabwe.

India and Australia contested the World Cup final in March in which Ricky Ponting's side beat the Indians by 125 runs at Johannesburg.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Thursday that it was yet to decide which venue would hold the first Test. But cricket officials said Mohali was likely to get the opening game from October 8.

KIWI SCHEDULESept 26-28: v Board President's XI, Visakhapatnam

Oct 2-4: v India A, Rajkot

Oct 8-12: First Test, Mohali or Kanpur

Oct 16-20: Second Test, Mohali or Kanpur

TRIANGULAR SERIESOct 23: India v New Zealand, Madras (D/N)

Oct 26: India v Australia, Gwalior (D/N)

Oct 29: Australia v New Zealand, Faridabad

Nov 1: India v Australia, Bombay (D/N)

Nov 3: Australia v New Zealand, Pune

Nov 6: India v New Zealand, Cuttack (D/N)

Nov 9: Australia v New Zealand, Guwahati

Nov 12: India v Australia, Bangalore (D/N)

Nov 15: India v New Zealand, Hyderabad (D/N)

Nov 18: Final, Calcutta