IND vs ENG: Start timings changed for India-England T20Is; here's why the ECB took this decision

In a series of exciting events, England have revised the start times for three of the five T20Is against India set to take place next month, with the decision targeted at attracting a larger television audience from the Indian subcontinent.

Big step from ECB

India's limited-overs tour of England will run from July 1 to July 19, includes five T20I games and three ODI matches. In a decision aimed at improving accessibility for viewers in the subcontinent, the start times of three T20Is have been brought forward by an hour, from 6:30 pm to 5:30 local time. As an outcome, Indian audience can expect the games to finish closer to 2:00 am IST rather than around 3:00 am.

However, not all games have been affected by the change. The second T20I at Old Trafford on July 4 and the fifth T20I at the Ageas Bowl on July 11 will go ahead with the original scheduled 2:30 pm local start (7:00 pm IST). As per ESPNcricinfo, the new schedule was decided after consultations involving the ECB, BCCI, host venues and the broadcasters Sky Sports and Sony Sports Network, with the aim of improving the viewing experience for the  fans in the Indian subcontinent.

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The change in the T20I games' scheduling showcases the immense commercial significance of India's games for English cricket. The ECB has long regarded tours involving India as among its most valuable broadcast assets, with television audiences and viewership figures influencing key decisions regarding the match scheduling and start times.

The upcoming white-ball series between England and India has created an immense among fans, with tickets for most of the T20Is and ODIs either sold out or close to selling out. Adding to the excitement is the presence of 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose rise have made him one of the biggest attractions in Indian cricket since bursting onto the scene in the IPL.

Although the games are designated as day-night fixtures, floodlights are unlikely to play a big role for the big chunk of the time. With sunset in England occurring well after 9 pm in July, a big portion of each game is set to be played under natural daylight.

India's squad for T20I series vs England:

Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Sanju Samson (wk), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi