The men’s international cricket calendar in 2020 was significantly affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Tours were cancelled, rescheduled and in some cases – like England’s trip to South Africa – curtailed mid-tour.

There is a similar uncertainty around the schedule for 2021 with the financial impact of the pandemic and already packed calendar for some nations influencing the schedule once more.

Using the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) and media reports around the likelihood of certain series taking place, here’s an overview of how many Tests each side is likely to contest over the next 12 months.

Afghanistan:

2 Tests v Zimbabwe (location tbc) from February
1 Test v Australia in Australia in November (rescheduled from 2020)
1 Test v Zimbabwe (location tbc) in November or December

Afghanistan were originally scheduled to contest a one-off Test against Ireland in January, but the set of games between the two sides now only consists of white-ball fixtures.

Australia:

2 Tests v India at home in January (the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series)
3 Tests v South Africa in South Africa from February
1 Test v Afghanistan at home in November (rescheduled from 2020)
4 Tests v England at home from November

Bangladesh:

2 Tests v West Indies at home in January
2 Tests v Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe from June
2 Tests v Pakistan at home from November
2 Tests v Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka from November
2 Tests v New Zealand in New Zealand from December

Bangladesh were originally scheduled to play three Tests away to Sri Lanka in October 2020, a shortened version of that tour may take place in April 2021. It is unknown at this point whether that impacts the scheduled series between the two sides later in the year.

England:

2 Tests v Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in January (rescheduled from 2020)
4 Tests v India in India from February
5 Tests v India at home from August
4 Tests v Australia in Australia from November

There have been reports that England may contest a two-Test series in England against New Zealand before their home series against India.

India:

2 Tests v Australia in Australia in January (the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series)
4 Tests v England at home from February
5 Tests v England in England from August
2 Tests v New Zealand at home from November
3 Tests v South Africa in South Africa from December

Ireland:

1 Test v Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in December

According to a report on ESPNcricinfo, the Sri Lanka Test – originally scheduled for early 2021 – will take place in December. There is an outside possibility of Ireland playing a Test away to England in June.

New Zealand

2 Tests v India in India from November
2 Tests v Bangladesh at home from December

There have been reports that New Zealand may contest a two-Test series away to England in June.

Pakistan

2 Tests v South Africa at home from January
2 Tests v Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe from April
3 Tests v West Indies in the Caribbean from July
2 Tests v Bangladesh in Bangladesh from November

South Africa

2 Tests v Pakistan in Pakistan from January
3 Tests v Australia at home from February
3 Tests v India at home from December

Sri Lanka

2 Tests v England at home in January (rescheduled from 2020)
2 Tests v West Indies in the Caribbean from February
1 Test v Ireland at home in December
2 Tests v Bangladesh at home in December

West Indies

2 Tests v Bangladesh in Bangladesh from January
2 Tests v Sri Lanka at home from February
3 Tests v Pakistan at home from July

Zimbabwe

2 Tests v Afghanistan (location tbc)
2 Tests v Pakistan at home from April
2 Tests v Bangladesh at home from June