England’s tour of India to begin on February 5; Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Pune to play host

England are set to tour India for a four-match Test series beginning the 5th of February 2021. The first two Test matches are to be hosted in Chennai, while the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad will be hosting the next two Tests of the series. 

The two teams will continue to be based out of Ahmedabad as they play a 5-match T20I series following the Red/Pink-ball leg of the tour. The final leg of the tour will see the two teams vying against each other in 3 ODIs, all of which will be played in Pune.

"The BCCI prioritizes the 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," assured Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary in a press release.

England and Wales Cricket Board CEO Tom Harrison expressed his satisfaction with the measures put in place by the BCCI to host the marquee series. "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," Harrison said. 

"We have been delighted with the planning that has been undertaken by the BCCI to ensure the three venues in Chennai, Ahmedabad, 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,” Harrison added.

The full-blown tour consisting of 4 Test matches, 5 T20Is, and 3 ODIs will be played between the 5th of February 2021 and the 28th of March 2021.

The full schedule for the tour is as follows:

Tests

1st Test: 5th - 9th February, Chennai

2nd Test: 13th - 17th February, Chennai

3rd Test (D/N): 24th - 28th February, Ahmedabad

4th Test: 4th - 8th March, Ahmedabad

T20Is

1st T20I: 12th March, Ahmedabad

2nd T20I: 14th March, Ahmedabad

3rd T20I: 16th March, Ahmedabad

4th T20I: 18th March, Ahmedabad

5th T20I: 20th March, Ahmedabad

ODIs

1st ODI: 23rd March, Pune

2nd ODI: 26th March, Pune

3rd ODI: 28th March, Pune

[ESPNCricinfo inputs]