India vs England: Test Series To Start On February 7, Motera Stadium To Host 5 T20Is And Day-Night Test

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, on Thursday, confirmed that the much-anticipated day-night Test between India and England will take place in Ahmedabad from February 24-28. The newly-reconstructed Motera Stadium will host the high-profile clash.

Earlier this year, the stadium hosted the ‘Namaste Trump’ event and was expected to host the IPL final before the tournament was shifted to UAE in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The old structure of the stadium was pulled down in 2015.  Built at a cost of Rs 800 crore, the new structure has a seating capacity of 1,10,000 spectators instead of the old seating capacity of 53,000.

Jay Shah confirmed that the Test series will start on February 7 while the day-night Test will be played from February 24 in Ahmedabad.

“The first Test will start from February 7 and the day-night Test will be played in Ahmedabad at the Motera Stadium from February 24,” Shah said while inaugurating Gujarat Cricket Association’s indoor academy for young cricketers.

T20I series to be played at the Motera:

Jay Shah also confirmed that the entire five-match T20I series between India and England will be played at the Motera Stadium. England’s tour of India in 2021 will mark the return of international cricket to the country for the first time since January 2020, when Australia toured India for a three-match ODI series.

“5 T20I matches will be played in Ahmedabad’s Motera stadium,” said Shah.

Team India recently returned to action with the limited-overs series in Australia and are currently preparing for the upcoming Test series against the same opposition. Virat Kohli’s men lost the ODI series, but made a strong comeback in the shortest format of the game, clinching the series 2-1.

The four-match Test series is scheduled to be played from December 17 in Adelaide. The series will end in January before the players return home and prepare for the home series against England. India are scheduled to host England for five Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. The schedule for the series is yet to be announced.

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