Chennai, Ahmedabad, home of the England exams

Chennai and Ahmedabad will be the two venues for the four-round series during England’s tour of India early next year, the BCCI and the ECB confirmed on Thursday (December 10).

The resumption of international cricket in India with the Anthony de Mello Trophy will see England play the first two events at Chepauk before the series moves to the new 110,000-seat Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad for the final two events, the first of which it will be a day-night affair. It will be only the second pink ball test to be held in India after the 2019 test against Bangladesh in Kolkata.

England will begin the test series on February 5, nine days after the proposed second test in Galle on their tour of Sri Lanka. Visitors will be limited to just three venues, and the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad will also host all five T20Is. The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune has been designed to house the three ODI who finish the tour. The tour will run until March 28.

England was originally scheduled to play five Tests, three T20I and three ODI in early 2020, a tour that had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the complexities of hosting a series in a bio-bubble, in addition to 2021 being a T20 World Cup year, the revamped schedule sees one of the Trials completed to accommodate two additional T20Is.

“The BCCI prioritizes the health and safety of both teams and will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the tour is carried out respecting all the safety protocols agreed by the medical teams of the BCCI and the BCE,” said the secretary of the BCCI, Jay Shah.

The two boards have worked closely together to put together an exciting series that promises to provide high-octane action between two world cricket powerhouses. This will be India’s first bilateral home series since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the local season will bring back joy for cricket fans. ”

ECB Executive Director Tom Harrison added: “We are delighted with the planning that BCCI has undertaken to ensure that the three venues in Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune are ready to host international cricket in a biosecure environment and look forward to working closely. with them over the next several weeks to finalize those plans.

“The prospect of becoming the first international team to play at the magnificent Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad adds an extra dimension to the tour and I know it will be something that will stand out for both the players and the management.”

Tour Itinerary:

Tests:

First test: February 5-9, Chennai

2nd test – February 13-17, Chennai

Third Test – February 24-28, Ahmedabad (D / N)

Fourth Test – March 4-8, Ahmedabad

T20Is: All games in Motera, Ahmedabad

1st T20I – March 12

2nd T20I – March 14

3rd T20I – March 16

4th T20I – March 18

5th T20I – March 20

ODI: all games in Pune

1st ODI – March 23

2nd ODI – March 26

3rd ODI – March 28