International Cricket

India Tour England 2026: Five-Test Day-by-Day Fixture Grid

Rohan Bhatia 19 May 2026 Updated 19 May 2026 ~6 min read ~1,106 words

India Test team training session at Lord's before the 2026 tour

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India's 2026 tour of England is the longest red-ball assignment of the WTC 2025-27 cycle, with five Tests across seven weeks from June 25 to August 12, 2026. The Pataudi Trophy returns with the new England-India trophy format adopted in 2025. This is the full day-by-day grid: every Test, every travel day, every training-day public access window, every ticket release date. If you are planning even one Test, every number here is in the official tour itinerary published by ECB and BCCI on May 6, 2026.

Tests 1 and 2: Headingley and Edgbaston (June 25-July 13)

The first Test at Headingley, Leeds runs from June 25 (day 1, 11:00 am start) to June 29 (day 5, 11:00 am start). Reserve day June 30. Training days for India at the venue: June 22 and June 23, public access 9:00 to 11:30 am subject to weather. Tickets released April 8, 2026; remaining stock for days 4 and 5 went to sale May 11. India travel from Manchester (where they arrive June 16) to Leeds on June 21.

The second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham runs from July 3 (day 1, 11:00 am) to July 7 (day 5). Reserve day July 8. India travel from Leeds to Birmingham on July 1, with a one-day rest in between. Training days for India: July 1 and July 2 at Edgbaston, public access for the July 2 afternoon session only. Tickets released April 15, with day 5 at Edgbaston historically selling slower than Headingley.

Tests 3 and 4: Lord's and Old Trafford (July 16-August 3)

The third Test at Lord's runs from July 16 (day 1, 11:00 am) to July 20 (day 5). Reserve day July 21. This is the marquee Test of the series. Tickets released March 18, the earliest in the tour; all five days at Lord's sold out for the home end by April 2. Resale through the Lord's Ticket Hub remains active. India travel from Birmingham to London on July 10, with a four-day rest window. Training days at Lord's: July 13 (private), July 14 (public access 10:00 to 12:00).

The fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester runs from July 24 (day 1, 11:00 am) to July 28 (day 5). Reserve day July 29. India travel from London to Manchester on July 22, with a three-day rest. Training days at Old Trafford: July 22 and July 23, public access for both afternoon sessions. Tickets released April 22, with day 4 and day 5 still available at the time of writing.

Test 5 and the Oval climax (August 6-12)

The fifth Test at the Kia Oval, London runs from August 6 (day 1, 11:00 am) to August 10 (day 5). Reserve day August 11. The series climax is scheduled at the Oval for the first time since 2022, with the rotation that previously alternated between the Oval and Lord's as series-closer. India travel from Manchester to London on August 3, with a three-day rest. Training days at the Oval: August 4 and August 5, public access for the August 5 morning session.

The Oval's south-east London location, easier rail connectivity, and slightly faster Tube access make day-5 fan attendance more practical than for the other venues. Tickets released April 29. Day 1 sold out within 48 hours. Day 5 currently available at all price tiers. The August 12 departure for India returns the squad to Mumbai with a 36-hour flight including a Doha layover.

Travel days and rest windows

The total travel days in the tour: India arrives in Manchester on June 16. Travels to Leeds June 21. Returns to Birmingham July 1. To London July 10 for Lord's. To Manchester July 22 for Old Trafford. To London August 3 for the Oval. Departs August 12 or 13. Total ground travel days within UK: 7. Total rest days between Tests: 24, with rest windows of 3, 4, 4, and 6 days between successive Tests respectively.

The four-day rest window between the third and fourth Tests is the longest within the series and is designed to allow pacer recovery before the Old Trafford pitch (historically the most pace-friendly of the five venues). The six-day window between the fourth and fifth Tests includes a planned two-day batting camp at Reigate Priory CC.

What ticket release windows still matter

The ticket release windows still ahead: Old Trafford day 5 secondary sale opens May 27. Lord's resale through Ticket Hub remains rolling. Headingley reserve-day tickets release June 1. Edgbaston day-5 ticket-flex packages release May 24. Oval day-5 single-ticket sale closes one week before the match.

If you are planning travel from India, the cheapest two Tests to attend are Headingley (days 4 and 5 still available) and Old Trafford (full days 4 and 5 still available). Lord's is the most expensive and most difficult to access. The Oval is the most accessible day-five if you are flying in late.

What it means

Five Tests across seven weeks is a fan's dream and a planning challenge. The grid above is the operational map. Travel days are bunched tight; rest windows favour pacers; training-day access is open at four of the five venues. The Pataudi Trophy returns with weight. India have not won a Test series in England since 1986. The 2026 series will tell us whether this generation breaks that record. Plan around the gaps. Book early for Lord's. Plan the Oval finale.