ENG vs BAN: England tour of Bangladesh rescheduled; series to be played in March 2023

As the England men's team prepare to take on India in the five-match Test series, the England cricket Board on Tuesday made a major announcement regarding the England team tour of Bangladesh. The England tour of Bangladesh which was due to take place in September and October 2021, will now take place in March 2023, it has been confirmed.

England tour of Bangladesh postponed

The ENG vs BAN tour would have seen both the teams competing against each other in the three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches which was due to take place in Dhaka and Chattogram. According to AP although the statement gave no reason for the postponement, England media said COVID-19-related quarantine protocols were behind the rescheduling the England vs Bangladesh series. It also added that it would give England players an opportunity to be drafted by teams in the lucrative Indian Premier League ( IPL) scheduled for around the same time.

England are still due to play Pakistan in two T20 matches in October, with the T20 World Cup starting on 17 October. The decision to reschedule the Bangladesh tour paves the way for players to potentially take part in the Indian Premier League which resumes on 19 September. Although the IPL play-offs and final would clash with the planned Pakistan series. The England cricketers who are likely to be available for the remainder of the IPL season are Moeen Ali and Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings), Sam Billings, Tom Curran and Chris Woakes (Delhi Capitals), Eoin Morgan (Kolkata Knight Riders), Chris Jordan and Dawid Malan (Punjab Kings), Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), and Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy (Sunrisers Hyderabad). Bangladesh, on the other hand, will play a five-match T20I series at home against Australia - the first bilateral T20I series between the two sides - starting Tuesday and are also expected to host New Zealand before the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

India vs England test series schedule 

The India vs England five-match Test series will get underway from August 4. As per the schedule, Trent Bridge will host the first Test from August 4-8, while Lord's will be hosting the second Test from August 12-16. After a gap of almost 10 days, the two teams will be back in action for the third game at the Emerald Headingley from August 25-29. The final two Tests (September 2-6 & 10-14) will be held at London's Kia Oval and the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester respectively. 

Image: England Cricket/ Instagram