India vs England: Fans to be allowed for 2nd Test in Chennai, BCCI planning to invite PM Modi for Ahmedabad game

In a major boost for cricket fans in India, the BCCI and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association have decided to allow 50 percent attendance of fans at the MA Chidambaram stadium for the second Test which will begin on February 13. The first Test will be played behind closed doors and will not have media attendance. However, in the latest developments on Monday evening, the BCCI and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association made the decision after the government announced new COVID-19 guidelines that permitted crowd attendance at fifty percent of capacity at sporting venues. According to one TNCA official who spoke to PTI, the decision to allow crowds in Chennai was taken only after the Central Government announced the new COVID-19 guidelines that would come into effect from February 1. The MA Chidambaram stadium has a capacity of 50,000 but this might not go down well with the ECB, who have requested matches be played behind closed doors for the safety of players.

This is the sixth Test series that will take place during the coronavirus pandemic. England has seen two of their series against West Indies and Pakistan played behind closed doors with no spectator attendance in the bio-secure venues of Southampton and Old Trafford. The Test series in New Zealand between West Indies and Pakistan saw crowd attendances while the India vs Australia series Down Under was played with limited crowds in all the venues. This is the first cricket series that will be played in India amidst the coronavirus pandemic and it is expected that this series will be the starting point from which IPL 2021 might be played entirely in India.

PM Modi to attend Ahmedabad Test?

According to a report in the Indian Express, the BCCI is reportedly looking to extend an invitation for the Pink Ball Test in Ahmedabad to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju. This will be the second Pink Ball Test in India after the success of the 2019 series in which India played their first-ever Pink Ball Test and they beat Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. However, this will be the first match at the newly built Motera stadium in Ahmedabad and the BCCI is planning to make it big.

With 50 percent attendance at sporting venues permitted, the Motera Tests could see attendances in excess of 50-55,000 for the match. England last played in Motera in 2012 and was soundly beaten by India but they bounced back to win the four-match series 2-1. England did not win a single match in 2016 as they were beaten 4-0.