The India-England series marks return of international cricket in country after COVID-19-forced lockdown.
England cricket team, who are currently playing a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, will be arriving on a long tour of India starting from the first week of February. They are scheduled to play 4 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is matches against the hosts.
England will get only three days to train before the first Test to be played in Chennai, which is set to start from February 5, due to a six-day mandatory quarantine requirement for the visitors who will land in the country after completing their tour of Sri Lanka.
As per reports, the Joe Root-led England squad are set to fly for Chennai on Wednesday for the first two Tests of the four-match series and will undergo a strict quarantine on arrival. All players will be tested for COVID-19 thrice over six days.
However, England cricket Board on Friday announced a 16-member squad for the first two Tests, the first of which will be played on 5th February at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Rory Burns, who were not part of the Sri Lanka series, arrived in India on Sunday night and will get five days to train following their hotel quarantine.
The last two Tests between the teams will be played in Ahmedabad starting February 24. The series, to be played in a bio-bubble, is also crucial in the context of the World Test Championship.
India taking on England will be the first international series to be held in India amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
(PTI Inputs)