Test Match Special has not secured the rights of the India-England Women’s one-off Test that began on December 14 despite “strenuous attempts” by the BBC to cover the game on the radio.
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TNT are the official broadcaster for the tour in the United Kingdom but the ongoing Test between India and England in Mumbai is not being covered on radio after the BBC failed to secure the rights reportedly due to the failure of the home board (the BCCI in this instance) or a third party not selling them on time.
TMS has recently acquired radio rights for most of England Women’s matches but the delay in the confirmation for the most recent series led to the radio commentators waiting till the very end for an update: TMS’ Daniel Norcross said on the Zero Ducks Given podcast: “We’re waiting to find out whether or not we can cover the Test match between England and India’s Women.”
The radio schedule a day before the Test did not have commentary for the Women’s Test match.
A few days earlier, Alex Hartley, who is also a current commentator with TMS, said on the No Balls podcast: “The BBC are trying & trying to get the rights. I text them every day & we’re still trying. They want the rights. We want to cover it on the radio. There’s a complication at the other end. It’s not England. It’s not the BBC. It’s elsewhere.”
Adam Mountford, the producer of TMS later confirmed there will be no radio coverage of the Test in England, “We would have loved to have had commentary on Test Match Special on both the T20s & Test. Unfortunately despite strenuous attempts to secure the rights, we have been unable to do so. There will be text commentary via @BBCSport & updates on 5 Live.”
Believe me the whole experience has been incredibly frustrating.
We are just so disappointed that we can’t bring you commentary on what is such a significant occasion.
— Adam Mountford (@tmsproducer) December 13, 2023
We would have loved to have had commentary on Test Match Special on both the T20s & Test.
Unfortunately
despite strenuous attempts to secure the rights we have been unable to do so.There will be text commentary via @BBCSport & updates on 5 Live.
— Adam Mountford (@tmsproducer) December 13, 2023
This will be the first time since 2011 that an England women’s Test will be played without ball-by-ball commentary in the UK.
It is worth noting that England’s white-ball series against West Indies last year did not have radio coverage, with the only audio being available being on Cricket West Indies’ YouTube channel.
