India Men’s And Women’s Teams To Tour England Next Year For Tests, White-ball Series
ICC World Test Championship Final: The India men’s and women’s cricket teams will be touring England next year for red-ball and white-ball matches respectively, said the England and Wales Cricket Board while releasing their 2025 international home season schedule.
After the England men’s team plays a one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on May 22, which is also the African nation tours the United Kingdom for the first time since 2003, they will then play three ODIs and as many T20Is against the West Indies.
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At the same time, the Lords will host the 2025 World Test Championship final for the first time. "It is a privilege for us to host international cricket at the Lord's involving England's men's and women's sides and we're hugely honoured and excited to be adding the ICC World Test Championship Final to our international fixture list next year.”
“It is the perfect setting for the final of any international tournament, and this will be a wonderful spectacle. The confirmation of these matches really whets the appetite for another unforgettable summer of cricket at the Ground and we look forward to opening our gates to everyone to enjoy all that Lord's has to offer," said Guy Lavender, Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC.
After this, the Ben Stokes-led Test side will face India in a marquee five-match Test series from June 20 to August 4, to be played at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Manchester and The Oval.
India and England are currently at number two and three in the ICC World Test Rankings, with the former last winning a Test series in the United Kingdom in 2007. The last series ended in a 2-2 draw after England won the rescheduled fifth Test at Birmingham by seven wickets in 2022 after the match had been delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp at Manchester in 2021.
At the same time, after also playing three ODIs and as many T20Is against the West Indies, the Heather Knight-led England women's team will host India for five T20Is and three ODIs from June 28 to July 22. The five T20Is between England and India will be played at Trent Bridge, Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium, The Oval, Old Trafford and Edgbaston respectively.
The three ODIs between the two teams will be played at Southampton’s Utilita Bowl, Lord’s and the Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street. The white-ball series promises to be exciting as, in 2022, England triumphed in T20Is, while India won the ODI series.
“Staging England Men’s and England Women’s series alongside each other has been popular with fans and supported the continued growth of the women’s game, with both the Ashes last year and the Pakistan series earlier this year proving successful,” said ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould.
“I’m excited we’ll be doing the same again for the West Indies and India series next year. Cricket fans are in for a real treat, and I hope they’ll be out in force to support both Men’s and Women’s sides. India touring is always a big draw and a highlight of any cricket summer,” he said.
“The last Men’s Test series here was a nailbiter and I’m sure next year’s clash will be just as exciting, while our women’s series are always fiercely competitive. I’m delighted we’ll also be welcoming both West Indies teams back again for white ball series, following this year’s Men’s Test series,” he added.
“To be welcoming Zimbabwe back for a Men's Test Match will be a historic moment, more than 20 years since their last visit. Test cricket is so beloved in this country, and we know that we have an important role to play in supporting developing test cricketing nations so that this format of the game thrives long into the future," he said.
England’s home international summer will conclude in early September, with the men’s taking on South Africa in three ODIs and as many T20Is, before the team travels to Ireland for three ODIs from September 17-21.
ECB also confirmed that India's women’s team will return in 2026 for a one-off Test match at Lord’s – the first-ever Women’s Test to be staged at the Home of Cricket. England women’s team has played white-ball matches at the Lord’s for the past three years, with an ODI against Inia next year, but it will be the first time the iconic ground will host a Women’s Test match.
“I’m also delighted we can confirm that India Women will return in 2026 to take on England Women in the first-ever women’s Test match at Lord’s. It will be a truly special occasion, and one of real significance,” added Gould.
England v India - Men's Test Series 2025 schedule
1st Test: June 20–24 - Headingley, Leeds
2nd Test: July 2–6 - Edgbaston, Birmingham
3rd Test: July 10–14 - Lord’s, London
4th Test: July 23–27 - Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
5th Test: July 31 – August 4 - The Kia Oval, London
England v India - women's T20I series schedule
1st game: June 28- Trent Bridge, Nottingham
2nd game: July 1- Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol,
3rd game: July 4- The Kia Oval, London
4th game: July 9- Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
5th game: July 12 - Edgbaston, Birmingham
England v India - women's ODI schedule
1st ODI: July 16 - Utilita Bowl, Southampton
2nd ODI: July 19 - Lord’s, London
1st ODI: July 16 - Utilita Bowl, Southampton
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Article Source: IANS
