Playing in India has long been regarded as a rite of passage for most cricketers and, despite the Indian Premier League opening doors for many overseas players, it remains a challenging environment today.
Of course, off the pitch, players are holed up in their luxury hotels, but on the pitch the heat, humidity and noise are unlike most other destinations, and trying to concentrate on the game, when there is so much going on around them, is a true test.
Main Venues: Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Feroz Shah Kotla (Delhi), M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bangalore), Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Hyderabad), MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai)
Pitches: Many of the wickets used in Test cricket tend to start off low and slow before drying out and making India's phalanx of twirlers salivate in anticipation. However, the T20 tracks tend to be a bowler's graveyard.
Weather: Hot and humid energy-sapping conditions with the obligatory short torrential downpour never too far away
Crowds: The noise of a passionate Indian crowd, once experienced, won't be forgotten. And let's not get started by the IPL bugle sound that sends local spectators into a frenzy...every 10 seconds.
Extras: With the Himalayas in the north, beaches in the south and even wild tigers in the middle, there is plenty to do in this huge country.
