Famous venues have been overlooked for the series, with no games in any of Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai or Ahmedabad, home to the Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest in the world. The five games will be played in the eastern cities of Hyderabad and Vizag, before the two teams will travel to the west, with Rajkot hosting the third match. India and England will fly east once more, playing in Ranchi before concluding the series in the scenic Dharamsala in the north.

The first Test will begin on January 25, with only a four days gap between the first and second games. There will be an eight-day break between the second and third Tests, with another six-day gap as teams travel to Ranchi for the fourth Test. The last Test will be held on March 7, eight days after the end of the fourth Test.

England have not won a Test series in India since 2012/13 when Alastair Cook’s team became the first English side since 1984/85 to win in the country. They have visited India two more times, in 2016/17 and 2020/21, but returned empty-handed, falling to 4-0 and 3-1 defeats.

On the last tour, England started with a thumping 227-run win in Chennai, but the joy soon evaporated as they were blown away in the remaining three Tests. India also visited England later in 2021 (one reschedule game was played in July 2022), ending the series 2-2.

IND vs ENG 2024 Test series schedule:

1st Test, Hyderabad: Thursday, January 25 – Monday 29, 2024
2nd Test, Vizag: Friday, February 2 – Tuesday 6, 2024
3rd Test, Rajkot: Thursday, February 15 – Monday 19
4th Test, Ranchi: Friday, February 23 – Tuesday 27
5th Test, Dharamsala: Thursday, March 7 – Monday 11