Old Trafford, Manchester Might Not Host The Rescheduled India-England Test In 2022 - Reports

If the latest reports are to be believed, then Manchester’s Old Trafford will not be able to host the rescheduled 5th Test between India and England the next year when India visits the UK for a white-ball series and one Test. However, it is known that an agreement has been fixed that India will complete the remaining Test match of the series.

India had refused to play the originally scheduled Test match, which was to begin from September 10, hours before the toss was to happen, as they were anxious about a possible COVID infection in the team after their assistant physio Yogesh Parmar had tested positive for the virus two days back and was put into isolation.

He was in close contact with multiple Indian players, and the visitors were not ready to risk infection, keeping in mind that the second half of the IPL 2021 was to begin shortly in UAE. So if any one of them had tested positive for COVID, then all of them would have to remain in quarantine in the UK for 10 days before leaving for UAE, pushing back IPL 2021 and then also the T20 World cup 2021, which was also to be played in UAE and Oman.

Old Trafford Is Also Set To Host Several Gigs When India Visits UK

As per the reports by Sportsmail, the final Test of the series will be staged somewhere else. As per the same reports, Lancashire had to bear a loss of almost £ 1 million over hospitality arrangements as the fifth Test between the two nations was called off.

A reason given here was that South Africa is set to tour England during the same period of time for their white-ball assignments, and hence, Lancashire won’t be able to host the India-England during that period of time. Also, Old Trafford is expected to be a venue for some musical gigs as well, making it difficult for the Manchester crowd to watch India and England play in whites.

India is to tour England for three ODIs, and three T20Is between July 1-14, and England’s commitments against South Africa are set to begin on July 19. The same series will conclude on July 31, and it will be followed by the second edition of the new 100-ball format game, The Hundred.

ECB is not able to cancel any white-ball game with India owing to the associated financial values. But, on the other hand, India cannot be expected to be in England for the entire summer, which would mean England plays a second-string team in one of the series.

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