India home series v England set to be postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic

Virat Kohli

The Indian cricket team's six-match limited-overs home series against England scheduled in September is all set to be postponed along with New Zealand A's visit of the country next month due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The BCCI is yet to make any formal announcement in this regard but it is expected that it will happen soon. "England were supposed to play six games (three ODIs and three T20 Internationals) during late September. Obviously in the current circumstances England won't be travelling to India," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

India's Future Tours and Program (FTP) calendar will be among the main topics of discussion during the BCCI Apex Council meeting on Friday. "But I guess a formal announcement will happen once the FTP issue is discussed as it's part of the agenda during Friday's Apex Council meeting. New Zealand A had a tour of India scheduled in August and even that's also unlikely to go ahead," the official said. According to reports in the British media, the white ball tour may now happen in September, next year.

India currently have over 9 lakh positive cases of COVID -19 and the death toll is inching towards the 25,000 mark. India's case load is the third highest in the world. Even if the situation in India improves by September, there was very little possibility of England coming. "Our (BCCI) president (Sourav Ganguly), in a recent interview, said that they are planning for a camp in August if the situation permits. It's common sense that under these circumstances, no matches can be held," the official added.

Also the England tour was scheduled in the last week of September and with the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia set to be postponed, the IPL is expected to kick off during that phase either in India or abroad. India's cricket team was last seen in action in March in a series against South Africa at home, which had to be called off midway because of the pandemic.

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