India to play one Test in England next year - Reports

The riveting series between England and India ended on a sour note after India denied playing the fifth Test in Manchester due to COVID-19 scare in their camp. Days after India coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar tested positive, assistant physical Yogesh Parmar also returned positive results on eve of the match which forced the BCCI to pull out of the match.

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The abandonment of the Test jolted England Cricket Board (ECB) with huge financial losses. To cover up the losses, BCCI and ECB have agreed to play a lone Test in English summer next year. However, it is not clear if the match will be part of the 2021 series or will be a standalone game.

Earlier, there were speculations that India may play two additional T20Is instead of the Test during their visit to England in July next year. But as per reports, both boards were keen to play the Test, which will most probably complete the series which India leads 2-1 at the moment. India will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in England next year in July.

Meanwhile, ECB has also received a proposal from Cricket Australia (CA) providing the details for the upcoming Ashes. The proposal clears the air over quarantine restrictions that will be in place during the marquee series. While an official announcement is yet to be made, it is understood that the protocols are not as harsh as expected.

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Given the stern COVID-19 regulations in Australia, many ace England players are mulling over skipping the series. But if the restrictions are not that rigid, England can hope to send a full-strength squad to Australian shores. It is also not clear if the families of the players have been allowed on the tour or not. Recently, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had said that England players won’t get any special relaxations.