The decisive match of the Test series between England and India has been rearranged for next July after the original match was called off at short notice last month amid health concerns among India's players following a coronavirus outbreak in their camp.
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The July 1-5 match will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham instead of Old Trafford, Manchester, where the fifth Test was scheduled to be played, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday.
India were leading 2-1 and bidding to win a Test series in England for the first time in 14 years.
The match was called off around two hours before the scheduled start of play after India said they was unable to field a team because of fears of more Covid-19 cases inside the group. The entire touring party had been isolating after five members of the coaching and backroom staff tested positive.
The match cannot be staged at Old Trafford because the ground will not have time to prepare a Test pitch.
Old Trafford will instead host the second Test against South Africa on August 25, a match which was previously due to take place at Edgbaston.
The rescheduling means the white-ball program of matches between the teams, scheduled to start in early July, will be pushed back to later in the month.
"We are very pleased that we have reached an agreement with BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] to creating a fitting end to what has been a brilliant series so far," said Tom Harrison, ECB chief executive.
"We recognise accommodating this extra match means a tighter schedule for the white-ball series," Harrison added. "We will continue to manage our players' welfare and workloads through next year."
Australian Associated Press
