Internet Desk: After a span of six years Eden will be hosting an ODI match between India and England. The decision has already been taken at the BCCI level. However, the official announcement is yet to come from the BCCI very soon. England will be touring India for series of 5 tests, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is which starts from November 2016 and will be continue till January 2017.
The much-awaited India vs England Test series, which will consist of 5 Tests, will have matches played at Rajkot, Vizag, Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai. This will be the first time that the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot and the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam will play host to Test cricket.
The series between India and England will also be the first time that India will be home to a 5-Test series since they hosted Pakistan in 1987. The Tests will be followed by 3 ODIs (Pune, Cuttack, Kolkata) on 15th, 19th and 22nd of January, 2017 respectively and 3 T20Is (Kanpur, Nagpur and Bengaluru) between the two teams.
England tour of India 2016-17
1st Test at Rajkot 9-13 Nov 2016
2nd Test at Vizag 17-21 Nov 2016
3rd Test at Mohali 26-30 Nov 2016
4th Test at Mumbai 8-12 Dec 2016
5th Test at Chennai 16-20 Dec 2016
1st ODI at Pune on Jan 15, 2017
2nd ODI at Cuttack on Jan 19, 2017
3rd ODI at Kolkata on Jan 22, 2017
1st T20I at Kanpur on Jan 26, 2017
2nd T20I at Nagpur on Jan 29 2017
3rd T20I at Bengaluru on Feb 1 2017
England last visited India for a series of four tests and five ODIs and two T20Is in which England won the test series 3-1 while India won the ODIs 3-2 and the T20Is were a 1-1 stalemate. India and England both faced each other at the “Mecca of cricket” Eden Gardens for the last time in an ODI game on 25th October, 2011. India won that match by a big margin of 95 runs courtesy a brilliant 75 not out from captain MS Dhoni and a 4-wicket haul from Ravindra Jadeja. India won that ODI series with a 5-0 whitewash over England.
After BCCI makes the official announcement, CAB will start working in full swing for the test against New Zealand and the ODI against England. Meanwhile, in between this period CAB officials are making themselves ready for the all important AGM which is to be held on 30th July. CAB officials are conducting closed door meetings to set up the equation. CAB President Sourav Ganguly who is in London to attend the MCC meeting is expected to land in the city by 15th of July night.
However, other BCCI officials as well as CAB officials are keeping their mouth shut as they are waiting for the Supreme Court verdict over Lodha Committee recommendations. According to sources, the Lodha Committee recommendation can lead to a jolt over officials holding post for eight or more years. It can recommend, if an official holds a post for eight or more years in BCCI or any governing body under BCCI, he cannot stand for any more elections in the future. If this recommendation goes against BCCI and BCCI implements it then the dream of present treasurer Biswarup Dey to fight for the presidential post will be over. According to a closed source, Dey has a dream to fight against Sourav Ganguly who will stand in election for the post of CAB president.