ENG vs IND: ECB reschedules India T20I series timings to maximise TV viewership

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have rescheduled the timings for the night T20Is for the upcoming five-match series against India to maximise TV viewership. England are set to host India for five T20Is and three ODIs, beginning on July 1. The three out of the five T20Is are scheduled for a 6:30 pm local time start, which would be 11 pm in India.

However, the timings have now been brought forward to 5.30 pm local time (10pm IST) after discussions with broadcasters. England's home international match timings are finalised after consultations involving the ECB, venues, opposition boards, and both domestic and overseas broadcasters, which in this case are Sky Sports (UK) and Sony Sports Network (India).

The change in timings from the standard 6:30 pm start reflects England cricket’s reliance on "high-value broadcast series", especially those featuring India, which was revealed in the ECB's recently published financial report.

ECB is likely to register a profit this year due to India's tour, but is anticipating losses in 2027 despite England hosting a men's Ashes series against Australia. "Attention should be drawn to the fact that the ECB's revenues are inherently cyclical, reflecting the scheduling of high-value broadcast series by opposition," the report said.

The tickets for India's tour to England went on sale late last year, and all three ODIs have been sold out, with stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in all likelihood set to feature in the series. There are only a few hundred tickets still available for all five T20Is.

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During the English summer, the sunset usually occurs after 9 pm, which means that all five games could well be completed before floodlights can take effect.

Meanwhile, India have announced their squad for the series and Shreyas Iyer has been handed over the leadership duties, replacing Suryakumar Yadav. The selectors have also handed a maiden call-up to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, following his record-breaking Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026).