Published 17:39 IST, February 4th 2021
India vs England 1st Test live stream, team news, pitch report, Chennai weather forecast
With one eye on the World Test Championship, the India vs England 1st Test at Chennai is of utmost importance. Here's how you can watch the match live.
India will take on England in the 1st Test of Egland’s tour of India 2021. The India vs England 1st Test match is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM IST from the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on February 5, 2021. Here are the India vs England live stream details, India vs England pitch report and the Chennai weather forecast for the contest.
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India vs England 1st Test preview
As India gear up to host their first Test series since 2019, all eyes will be on the World Test Championship finals. India will have to produce any one of the following results: 4-0, 3-0, 3-1 or 2-0 in their bid to join Kane Williamson and his New Zealand side in the inaugural WTC Finals this summer. However, a second Test loss will mean game over for the hosts, who are currently the No.1 team in the WTC rankings.
The numbers will be similar, but more daunting for the visitors, who will have to pull off series victories with margins of either 3-0, 3-1, 2-1 or 4-0 to set up a repeat of the exciting ODI World Cup 2019 final at Lord's.
India's skipper Virat Kohli, who has returned to the side after his paternal leave, is 2 wins away from breaking MS Dhoni's record of having the 'most wins at home'. England skipper Joe Root meanwhile, is 9 runs short of becoming the international player with the most Test runs in India since 2016. He will be playing his milestone 100th Test and will be hoping to capitalize on his team's great form from their victories in Sri Lanka. India of course, are flying high, having retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in such splendid fashion in Australia.
The last two Test series between India and England have ended in the hosting nation's favour by a long shot, giving India better hopes of winning this series. India won 4-0 at home in 2016 while England won 4-1 at home in 2018.
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India vs England 1st Test live in India: India vs England live stream details
The India vs England 1st Test will broadcast live on television on Star Sports Network's Star Sports 1 SD & HD and 1 Hindi SD and HD channels. The entire India vs England series will also be available as a live stream on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. The India vs England live scores and updates can be found on the websites and social media handles of the BCCI and England Cricket.
India vs England pitch report and Chennai weather forecast
Accuweather predicts no rain at any time during the match, meaning that fas can enjoy an uninterrupted game of cricket on Friday. The temperature in Chennai will hit a high of 30°C in the afternoon with mostly humid and cloudy conditions persisting through the day. Chepauk has always been a stronghold of batsmen and spinners, and we can expect a similar pitch this time around as well.
Image Credits: England Cricket Twitter
Updated 17:39 IST, February 4th 2021