Chennai, Ahmedabad to host England Tests

Mumbai: India and England will play four tests, five Twenty20 matches and three one-dayers in February-March in India with the high-profile series restricted to just three venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both cricket boards said on Thursday.

The series will kick off on Feb. 5 with Chennai hosting the opening two tests before the sides head to the Western Indian city of Ahmedabad to play the first international match at the world's largest cricket stadium.

The Motera stadium, with a capacity of 110,000, has displaced the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the world's largest cricket stadium, and was inaugurated by U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to India in February

. The refurbished stadium will host the final two tests with the third to be played with pink balls under lights.

Motera will also hold the five T20 internationals, which will work as warm-ups for both sides ahead of the World Twenty20 later in the year in India.

England in India - schedule

Tests
5-9 Feb: First Test, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
13-17 Feb: Second Test, Chennai
24-28 Feb: Third Test, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad (d/n)
4-8 Mar: Fourth Test, Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

T20Is
12 Mar: First T20, Ahmedabad
14 Mar: Second T20, Ahmedabad
16 Mar: Third T20, Ahmedabad
18 Mar: Fourth T20, Ahmedabad
20 Mar: Fifth T20, Ahmedabad

ODIs 23 Mar: First ODI, MCA Stadium, Pune
26 Mar: Second ODI, Pune
28 Mar: Third ODI, Pune