England have had 'no official request' from India to move dates of summer Tests

Reports in Indian press suggested BCCI officials had considered idea of bringing forward five-match series due to potential IPL rescheduling

India's captain Virat Kohli, centre, congratulates Ravichandran Ashwin, right, after dismissing England's Zak Crawley during the third day of fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, March 6, 2021. India won the Test by by an innings and 25 runs and the series 3-1. AP

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up five wickets in England's second innings in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad. Getty

India's Axar Patel, right, celebrates with captain Virat Kohli after the dismissal of England's Ben Stokes. AP

India's Axar Patel picked up five wickets in the second innings of the Ahmedabad Test against England. AFP

England's Dan Lawrence put up a brave fight, scoring a fifty in the second innings on Saturday. AFP

India's Washington Sundar raises his bat as he walks off the field after remaining unbeaten on 96 during the third day of fourth Test. AP

Washington Sundar, right, and Axar Patel added 106 runs. AP

India's Washington Sundar missed out on a deserved century. Reuters

Axar Patel scored 43 batting at number nine. Getty

Team physiotherapist checks out India's Mohammed Siraj, left, after he got hurt while fielding on Saturday. AP

England's Ben Stokes was rewarded for his hard work as he finished with four wickets. Reuters

The England and Wales Cricket Board says there has been "no official request" from India to shift the dates of this summer's Test series.

It comes amid reports that alterations to the schedule have been broached on an informal basis.

The postponement of the Indian Premier League due to the country's coronavirus crisis has left a crunch on the calendar, with 31 matches still to be played and little window open in the schedule to stage them.

Reports originating in the Indian press suggested officials at the Board of Control for Cricket in India had considered the idea of bringing forward their five-match series in England, which is due to begin on August 4 and end on September 14 to create a viable window.

There is an open line of dialogue between the respective boards at present, due to the fast-moving logistics involved in hosting international sport in a pandemic and, while it appears likely that such an idea has been floated in conversation, it has not yet gone any further than that.

"We talk to the BCCI on a regular basis about a wide range of issues especially as we address the challenges of Covid-19, but have had no official request to change dates and are continuing to plan for the five Test series as is scheduled," an ECB spokesperson said.

The ECB will be keen to maintain cordial relations with the BCCI, who remain the most powerful body in cricket, but would view a late change to the summer arrangements as a last resort.

Moving the start of the series forward would not only create difficulties for the host venues and ticket-buying public, who were shut out in 2020. It could also clash with the launch of the new format tournament, The Hundred.

As it stands there is a short gap between England assignments, allowing centrally contracted players to lend their star power in the early stages of the new competition. Encroaching on that period with a high-profile England Test against India would be undesirable in the extreme.

There have also been suggestions that a change in dates could advance the notion of completing the IPL in England in September, with Lord's, The Oval, Edgbaston and Emirates Old Trafford willing to host. The PA news agency understands that remains a long shot and the UAE remains the likeliest stand-in.

The BCCI has called for a special meeting on May 29 without revealing the agenda, but it is widely assumed the officials are keen to work out their schedule considering they are World Twenty20 hosts, which is in jeopardy as well with coronavirus cases rising to alarming levels.