Board of Cricket Control in India (BBCI)’s talks with the England Cricket
Board (ECB) to shift the Test series between India and England appears to have
not met with any positive responses, PTI reported.

The Test series is scheduled to start on August 4, and BCCI is looking
to move it early by a week to accommodate remaining 31 IPL matches from the COVID-19
disrupted IPL 2021 season.

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While no official discussion took place, informal talks between the
two sides has reportedly yielded no favourable result.

“There is no chance of ECB acceding to BCCI’s request of shifting
the dates of the Test series. Since they have made their stand point clear
informally, I don’t think there is any point of making a formal request,”
PTI quoted a BCCI official familiar with the situation as saying, who further said
that ECB are already set in hosting the inaugural season of ‘Hundred’, a domestic
100-ball cricketing tournament for both men and women.

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“The ECB have their inaugural ‘Hundred’ from July 24 to August
21. Their broadcast deals and everything is in place. So there is no chance of
any shift happening”, he was further quoted as saying.

The discussions revolve around a six-week gap the Indian team will likely
go through after finishing their World Test Championship (WTC) finals against
New Zealand on June 22, and before the first India-England Test commences on August
4.

The five-Test series starts with first match at Nottingham (Aug-4-8),
followed by Lord’s (Aug 12-16), Leeds (Aug 25-29), Oval (Sep 2-6) and
Manchester (Sep 10-14).

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However, starting the series earlier in July, with less time between each
Test match, will allow the BCCI to access the entire month of September, which the
body can use to organise IPL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).