Last updated: February 25, 2025

Red Ball Cricket During IPL 2025? BCCI Devise New Plan To Keep Indian Players Ready for England Tests

India haven't won a Test series in England in 18 years

The Indian cricket team’s next international assignment after the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 will be the five-match Test series in England.

However, they will be busy with the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season ahead of the marquee England series and will have limited time to get into red-ball mode. The IPL 2025 is scheduled to end on May 25 while India play their first Test against the Three Lions at Headingley from June 20.

Thus, to make the transition better and more efficient, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are devising a new roadmap.

The specific details of how the plan will be executed are being kept under wraps, though a series of initial discussions have already been held regarding the overlapping system.

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India haven’t won a Test series in England in 18 years

The Indian team last won a Test series in England way back in 2007. This trend of India’s losses in every away series to England after the IPL (with the exception of one) has not gone unnoticed by the BCCI’s top brass.

For instance, the 2011 series concluded with a 4-0 defeat, the 2014 series saw England triumph 3-1, and in 2018, India faced a 4-1 loss.

Notably, the most recent away series in 2021 ended in a 2-2 draw, with the final Test postponed by a year due to COVID-related disruptions. India had been leading the series 2-1 before the pandemic interrupted play in the summer of 2021.

However, the BCCI is paying close attention to recent Test performances. India experienced a rare home series defeat against New Zealand (3-0) and a 3-1 loss in Australia and to avoid a repeat against England, BCCI is eager to ensure that the players remain prepared for Test cricket during the IPL.

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