India vs England: Chennai Tests to have no crowd; Ahmedabad could see fans coming in

After playing a dramatic India vs Australia Test series, the Men in Blue are all set to play England from February 5. As per the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the first two Test matches in the India-England series will be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai with empty stands. The body has stated that the decision to hold the first two games without the fans was done keeping in mind the safety of the cricketers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the second half of the series, to be held in Ahmedabad, could see fans coming in.

"We will not have any fans coming in. What happens later in the series is a call for BCCI to take along with the English cricket board. But the first two games will not have fans. Cricket lovers will need to watch their favourite stars in action on televisions for now," a TNCA official told news agency ANI.

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Read: IND Vs AUS 4th Test: ICC Posts Witty Tweet To Celebrate India Capturing Gabba 'Fortress'

India Vs England Squad 

India vs England Test series will see the return of skipper Virat Kohli who had taken a paternity leave after the first India Vs Australia Test for the birth of his first child. All-rounder Hardik Pandya and speedster Ishant Sharma have also made their way back into the squad. KL Rahul has been picked subject to fitness. Meanwhile, T Natarajan who played his debut Test against Australia has not been included in the lineup for the Chennai Tests paving way for Spinner Axar Patel. The first Chennai Test will be played from February 5 to 9 and the second one from February 13 to 17.

Full squad for Chennai Tests: Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul (subject to fitness), Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel.

Read: India Announce Squad For First 2 Tests Against England: Ishant, Pandya Return In Whites

Read: All-rounder Hardik Pandya Pens A Touching Tribute For His Late Father Himanshu

(With Agency Inputs)