India will not tour England in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. But they will face the challenging English conditions later in 2025. With two years still to go in the five-Test series, England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the five venues for the Test series along with home calendar for 2025-31 including both and women’s teams.
Just one venue change
As per International Cricket Council's (ICC) Future Tour Programme (FTP), India are set to tour England for a five-Test series which is likely to be just after the final of third edition of WTC. ECB in a release said that two of the Tests will be played in London at the Lord's and the Kennington Oval; the latter is the same venue where India lost the WTC 2023 final by 209 runs to Australia. The remaining three Tests will be played at Edgbaston (Birmingham), Headingley (Leeds) and the Old Trafford (Manchester).
The Rose Bowl in Southampton, where India lost the WTC final to Kane Williamson-led New Zealand has been replaced by Headingley. There is just one change in the venue.
"By announcing arrangements for the next seven years, we are also giving venues long-term certainty so that they can invest sustainably into stadium improvements and improved fan experiences," said Richard Gould, ECB CEO.
Recent Test series between the giants
The last time India toured India was in 2021. The series took place after India’s loss to New Zealand in WTC final. Under Virat Kohli’s captaincy, India were leading the Test series by 2-1 before players in the visitors’ camp tested positive for Covid-19. The Test was rescheduled for 2022. Rohit Sharma was expected to lead the team but he contracted Covid-19 and under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy India lost to Ben Stokes-led side. The series ended in a draw.
In the current WTC 2023-25 cycle, England will tour India in 2024. The last time England toured India, the Joe Root-led side started with a massive 227-run win in Chennai and then lost the remaining three Tests in the four-Test series.
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