England to kickstart summer with New Zealand series, confirms ECB

England are set to kickstart their home international summer with a Test series against New Zealand, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed in a press release on Monday.

Currently ranked No. 1 in ICC Test rankings, New Zealand will travel to the UK for a two-match Test series and the matches are scheduled to be played at Lord's (June 2-6) and Edgbaston (June 10-14).

Later in the year, England will host Sri Lanka in a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series. The games wil be played at Sophia Gardens (June 23 and 24) and The Ageas Bowl (June 26). These matches will precede the already-announced three-match Royal London Series against Sri Lanka.

"These matches will precede the already-announced three-match Royal London Series against Sri Lanka. Planning for the England Visually Impaired team's Ashes series against Australia remains subject to COVID-19 assessments.

Ticket ballots have now opened for today's announced fixtures at The Ageas Bowl, Edgbaston and Sophia Gardens before general sale tickets will be available across all venues from 22 February. Refund policies are in place should crowds be restricted because of Covid-19," read ECB's press release.

In the same release, ECB's chief executive officer, Tom Harrison said," The prospect of our England Men's team taking on the world's two top-ranked Test nations in New Zealand and India this summer is something for us all to savour."

England are currently playing in Sri Lanka and have white-washed the hosts 2-0 in Test series with the win in the second and final game coming on Monday at Galle.

Joe Root and Co are due to visit India in February for a full-fledged tour starting with a four-match Test series, starting on Feb. 5.

India will travel to the UK later in the year for a five-match Test series, starting on Aug. 4. The first Test will be played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, second at the Lord's (Aug. 12-16), third at Headingley, Leeds (Aug. 25-29), and fourth at Kennington Oval, London (Sept. 2-6), and fifth at Old Trafford, Manchester (Sept. 10-14).

The last time India toured England, Virat Kohli's side suffered a 4-1 loss. Their only win came at Trent Bridge by 203 runs.