BCCI to take decision on Monday on allowing fans for 2nd Test match in Chennai

 The second Test between India and England might have a 50 percent crowd in attendance if the talks between Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are successful on Monday. The two-month gruelling tour kicks off with the first Test that will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday i.e. February 5.

The next Test match will be played at the same venue on February 13.

Speaking to ANI, a senior TNCA official said that the secretary RS Ramasaamy will speak to BCCI on Monday and only then a decision will be made and so far no talks have happened.

'The new regulations allow for 50 percent fans'

"See the new regulations allow for 50 percent fans, so we are going to speak to the BCCI through our secretary and a decision will be reached only after that. But yes, for now, let's wait and watch till tomorrow," the official said.

Asked about the crowd number, the official said that the TN govt allows only 50 percent of the capacity so that will be it. "If we do get the go-ahead, it will only be 50 percent as per the order of the TN government. But a lot will also depend on the BCCI and the ECB. So, we will get an idea tomorrow," the official pointed.

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Both teams look to continue their splendid run in the longest format

Both teams head into this series after having registered away Test wins. While Team India created history with a 2-1 win at the Gabba to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia last week, England handed a 2-0 whitewash to Sri Lanka in their own backyard earlier this week.

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The elegant number three batsman Joe Root will be leading England in the four-match Test series that gets underway at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 5 while Virat Kohli will be back on the cricket field after more than a month. He had returned to India after the Adelaide Test match against Australia in mid-December on paternity leave.

Meanwhile, the visitors would be hoping to repeat the heroics of the 2012/13 season where they had registered a 2-1 win in (four-match series) under the leadership of former iconic opener Alastair Cook. That remains England's last Test series win on Indian soil to date.

Kohli on the other hand looks to lead India to a second straight Test series win against England on home soil. At the same time, the four-match Test series will also constitute a major part of the ongoing inaugural ICC World Test Championship.

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