But for final approval from the High Commission of India the touring sides are locked in to make their much-anticipated debut in the 2019-20 edition of both the under-13 and under-15 carnivals.

With New Zealand's Wakatipu High School once again returning as well, the marquee carnivals will continue their rapid global expansion while sides from all over the state will also land.

"It's exciting, they're still waiting on final approval but we don't foresee any issues there and we're obviously hoping it all works out," Orange District Junior Cricket Association president and carnival coordinator Jo Hunter enthusiastically explained.

"The North West Sydney Hurricanes played last summer, they're coming back, and had contacts with the academy who were then really keen to come over and play after they heard about the carnival."

It would appear St John's Academy may well start both carnivals as title favourites too, although being unsighted that's a prediction based on word of mouth, and reputation. They'll start their under-13 campaign against the North Shore and take on Mitchell Cricket Council in their first under-15 game.

"From what I've been told they had more than 300 players try out for these sides, they're selecting teams specifically for the carnivals," Hunter said.

The famed cricket nursery produced Indian great VVS Laxman, the stonewalling top-order bat scored more than 8,000 Test runs from more than 100 appearances, with a highest score of 281.

That incredible dig, of course, came when he and Rahul Dravid stitched together a 376-run partnership after following on against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001, one that laid the foundation for one of the modern era's greatest Test wins.

The Hyderabad-based academy will be one 16 sides in the under-13 carnival and one of 10 in the under 15s, with Wakatipu to compete in the latter carnival. Although Orange has been withdrawn - they'll play in the under-13 carnival, though - they'll still face the Kiwis for the Sharpe-Mawhinney Shield.

"Wakatipu hold the [shield] at the moment and those two teams will play, even though we had to withdraw the Orange under-15 side. Another side pulled out and sadly, all the reserve teams weren't available either, so we wanted to avoid a bye," Hunter said.

"It's a shame but the two sides will still play at Wade Park though, we want to make sure we keep that relationship and rivalry going."

Once again the under-15 girls' carnival will welcome big numbers, with six teams nominated and set to vie for the title, including two Western Zone sides.

"Western won last year's girls' title and Blacktown are coming back in the boys', they're always strong and will be among the favourites I think. But India will probably start favourites for the under 13s and under 15s, even though they're an unknown," Hunter said.

The under-13 carnival starts the bumper, two-week program from January 6 while the under-15 boys' and girls' carnivals will once again be played alongside one another, from January 13.

The former will adopt the modified rules standard of that age group now, and there will be a Select Twenty20 exhibition game mid-week as usual, with players to be nominated from all the side and then split into two exciting teams to face-off at Wade Park under lights.