BCCI announces the schedule for England series; matches to be played at just three venues

The tour will feature five T20Is, 3 ODIs and four Test matches.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the itinerary for the upcoming England tour of India in 2021. The England team will be playing 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is, and 4 Test matches on the tour beginning with the Anthony de Mello Trophy Test series from February 5.

This series will mark the return of international cricket in India after a long break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The first of the four Tests will be played in Chennai from Feb 5-9, which will also host the second Test match from Feb 13-17. The series will then move to the newly built Sardar Patel Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad, which will host the remaining two Test matches.

The third Test of this series will be India’s second only day-night Test at home and will be hosted by Motera, the largest cricket stadium in the world, in Ahmedabad, which boasts of state of the art facilities and a seating capacity of 110,000. The match will begin on Feb 24.

India to play England in day-night Test at New Sardar Patel Stadium; series begins from Feb 7

Motera, Ahmedabad will also host the 5-match T20I series, beginning from March 12.

Meanwhile, the three ODI matches will be played in Pune on March 23, 26, and 28. The BCCI has restricted the tour to just three venues keeping in mind the current pandemic situation prevailing in the country.

Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary, BCCI said: "The BCCI prioritizes health and safety of both teams and will leave no stone unturned to make sure that the tour is held adhering to all safety protocols agreed by the BCCI and ECB medical teams. Both Boards have worked closely to put together an exciting series that promises to provide high octane action between two powerhouses of world cricket. This will be India's first bilateral series at home since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and the home season will bring back joy to cricket fans."

Tom Harrison, CEO, ECB said: "International cricket between India and England is a highlight of the cricketing calendar and always attracts significant levels of interest from fans around the world.

We have been delighted with the planning that has been undertaken by the BCCI to ensure the three venues in Chennai, Ahmadabad, and Pune will be ready to host international cricket in a bio-secure environment and look forward to working closely with them over the coming weeks to finalize those plans.

The prospect of becoming the first international side to play at the magnificent Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad adds an extra dimension to the tour and I know will be something that is a highlight for both the players and management."

Itinerary for the England tour of India in 2021:

The Anthony de Mello Trophy Test series:

1^st Test- 5-9 Feb, Chennai
2^nd Test- 13-17 Feb, Chennai

3^rd Test (D/N)- 24-28 Feb, Ahmedabad
4^th Test- 4-8 March, Ahmedabad

T20I series (All matches to be played in Ahmedabad):

1^st T20I- 12^th Mar
2^nd T20I- 14^th Mar
3^rd T20I- 16^th Mar
4^th T20I- 18^th Mar
5^th T20I- 20^th Mar

ODI series (All matches to be played in Pune):

1^st ODI- 23^rd Mar
2^nd ODI- 26^th Mar
3^rd ODI- 28^th Mar

(BCCI inputs)