India to play four Tests in England in 2011

India have agreed to tour England for a series of four Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international in 2011, the England board announced today. The Tests will be held at Lord's, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and The Oval, though the exact schedule will be finalised later.

The ECB also decided on the venues for the ODIs - Cardiff, Durham, Lord's, The Oval and Hampshire's Rose Bowl - but are yet to announce the venue for the Twenty20 international.

England are slated to tour India in November this year for a series of two Tests and seven one-dayers. The Indian board couldn't accommodate a third Test due to scheduling problems, given that Australia's four-Test tour of India ends only in early November.

'I am delighted that India will play four Test matches on their tour of England and Wales in 2011," said David Collier, the ECB's chief executive. "The ECB has been strong and consistent in its insistence that Test cricket is still the predominant form of the game.

'We would have liked to have played a third Test this winter but appreciate that with the India v Australia series starting a week later than originally planned this was not feasible.

"The ECB was also determined that the tour should finish as scheduled under the Future Tours Programme to give the England players the maximum rest period before they embark on the Test and ODI trip to the Caribbean."

India last toured England in 2007, winning the three-Test series 1-0, before England fought back to take the one-day series 4-3.