The Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the pink-ball Test between India and England on February 24.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Thursday said that the newly-built Motera Stadium will host a couple of Tests - including the pink-ball fixture- along with five T20Is.

England is set to tour India for a four-match Test series - which begins on February 7- followed by a five-match T20I series. While the Board is expected to announce the itinerary shortly, Sportstar understands that Eden Gardens in Kolkata remains a front-runner to host the first Test in a bio-secured environment.

Even though the BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had earlier stated that Ahmedabad will host the pink-ball Test, there were doubts over the series due to the rising COVID-19 cases. However, interacting with the scribes in Ahmedabad on Thursday, while inaugurating the GCA indoor facility, Shah made it clear that the series will go on as per plan.

“The Test series will commence on February 7 and the day-night Test will be played in Ahmedabad (at the Motera Stadium) from February 24,” Shah said. It is believed that the touring team will reach India after its Test series against Sri Lanka and will be inside a strict bubble before starting its campaign.

Over the last few years, the BCCI has planned the ODI and T20I series based on whether the next ICC event is a 50-over event or a 20-over event. The five T20Is against England will be preparation for Virat Kohli's team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in October-November, next year.