India to play five Tests in England in '2014 bumper tour' for first time since 1959

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that India will play five Tests in England for the first time since 1959 during a 'bumper tour' next year.

According to Sport24, the tour schedule also contains five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international between 50-over world champions India and the hosts.

The report further said that the second, fifth and the third Tests will be played at Lord's, The Oval and Southampton's Rose Bowl stadium respectively, although the latter venue is still subject to confirmation following an ECB inspection visit as it is a relatively new international ground.

The report further said that Trent Bridge at Nottingham will stage the first Test between India and England while the fourth Test will be held at Manchester's Old Trafford.

Stating that the length of the series reflects the iconic status which is enjoyed in contests between the two cricketing nations, ECB chief executive David Collier said that they anticipate significant demand for tickets both for the entire tour.

Collier also said that the tour will be the first encounter between these two countries in the 50-over format since India's triumph in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, although the report added that bowlers from both teams might be worried by the schedule as it has crammed five Tests into the space of just over a month.

The report further said that after its arrival on June 23, 2014, India would play a three-day tour match against county side Leicestershire from June 26-28, and then a three-day tour match against Derbyshire from July 1-3.

After that, the Test series will be played from July 9- August 19, following which the ODI series will be played at Bristol, Cardiff, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and Headingley on August 25, 27, 30, September 2 and September 5 respectively.

The sole Twenty20 match will be held at Edgbaston on September 7, which concludes the India tour, the report added.