By Indian Cricket Fever
September 9 2013

India last played a 5 Test series against the West Indies in West Indies in 2001-02, while it last played a 5 Test series against England in 1984-85, and has only played one 5 Test series in England before, back in the summer of 1959. 

So when the ECB announced a 5 Test series versus India in the summer of 2014 it was quite a surprise.  Especially given the ongoing hostility between the ECB and BCCI over scheduling, and particularly over the issue of a dedicated time window for the IPL.  

But in an exercise of Realpolitik the ECB has requested and the BCCI has agreed to a jam-packed itinerary for 2014.  with 5 back to back Tests and 5 back to back ODIs, plus one T20I.  The interesting thing is that neither the Test schedule or the ODI schedule has a break in between for a game against a county side, though there are two County warm up games before the Test series and one 50 over game at Lords versus Middlesex before the ODI series. 

If the pitches are similar to what England produced for the Ashes this year, this lack of "practice" matches shouldn't be a problem, but if they are similar to the swinging gardens produced when India last visited then it could be torrid time for India. 

This 5 Test series coming immediately following a 0-4 rout of India in England the last time around, underlines the fact that the ECB realize that no matter what the result, playing India is a paying proposition.  The series will also allow Mahendra Singh Dhoni who, unless something unexpected occurs, will be captaining the side to repair his captaincy legacy by winning a series in England.  With all the senior players from the 2011 tour out of the picture, Dhoni will also have a team of his own making and liking and should have no excuse if he fails to win the series.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: “This will be the first time England has hosted India in a five Test series in more than 50 years and the length of the series reflects the iconic status which contests between these two great cricketing nations now enjoy.

“We anticipate significant demand for tickets both for the Investec Test series, and for the One-Day International series which will be the first encounter between these two countries in the 50-Over format since India’s triumph in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy competition at Edgbaston earlier this year.

“We thank the BCCI for their support and also our international venues who between them helped bring a record number of spectators – more than 850,000 - to international cricket over the course of the season when India last toured here in 2011.”

India Tour Itinerary

**Note – venue subject to confirmation following final facility inspection

India To Play First Five Test Series In Over A Decade

Discussion started by Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged), 09/09/2013 20:13

Indian Cricket Fever
09/09/2013 20:13

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:09:25:06:11:11 by Birbal.

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Birbal
09/09/2013 20:15

Last time over 850,000 tickets were sold when India toured...this time safe to say the million ticket mark will be broken...

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