Mumbai, Nov 3: The England cricket team led by Alastair Cook arrived here on Tuesday from Bangladesh to engage hosts India in a five-Test series commencing at Rajkot on November 9.
Ind-Eng series schedule; India squad
The tourists touched down around 3 pm and reached their hotel in South Mumbai two hours later.
This is the eighth five-match Test rubber between the two countries and first in the country since the 1984-85 series between the squads captained by Sunil Gavaskar and David Gower.
We've arrived in India! pic.twitter.com/cDakjAhKU6
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 2, 2016
It was the very series in which Mohammed Azharuddin created world record with a hat-trick of tons in his first 3 Test matches.
(Sourav Ganguly backs India to whitewash England 5-0)
The tourists are to stay in the metropolis for a few days and have one full practice session, scheduled at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium on November 5, before proceeding to Rajkot, venue of the opening clash.
Thank you Bangladesh, some good hard cricket from both sides and we were looked after brilliantly! Now time for India! Hello Mumbai! pic.twitter.com/GSDUAhYxuE
— Joe Root (@root66) November 2, 2016
The other games are to be played in Vishakapatnam (Nov. 17-21), also hosting a first-ever Test like Rajkot, Mohali (Nov. 26-30), Mumbai (Dec. 8-12) and Chennai (Dec. 16-20).
On its previous Test tour of India, England came from behind to turn the tables on the hosts and emerge 2-1 victors in a four-Test series. Cook was the England captain then too.
England squad: Alastair Cook (Captain), Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari, Johny Bairstow (WK), Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Gareth Batty, Stuart Broad, Jose Buttler, Ben Duckett, Steve Finn, H Hameed, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.
PTI