Sky to show India series

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Sky Sports have won the rights to screen live coverage of England’s Test matches in India.

The four-year deal to broadcast India’s home matches in the United Kingdom begins with the first Test in Nagpur next Wednesday and also includes England’s next tour to India.

Vic Wakeling, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “Apart from the two tours by England, there are some exciting series planned in India over the next four years. We are delighted that subscribers to Sky Sports will be able to see them all.”

Four former England captains - Mike Atherton, Ian Botham, David Gower and Nasser Hussain - are flying out this weekend to join the commentary team in India.

England are scheduled to return to India in 2009 and, in addition to showing that tour, Sky will cover eight other international series and Indian domestic cricket.

The announcement ends a week of negotiations which began when Nimbus purchased the entire media rights to all India’s home internationals until March 2010 for £352million.

Earlier this week Nimbus chairman Harish Thawani said talks between his company and Sky had ended and suggested British viewers may have to watch the three-match Test campaign via a pay-per-view television channel.

But Digvijay Singh, chief executive of Nimbus Sport, said: “Both Sky Sports and Nimbus Sport walked the extra mile to ensure that sports fans in the UK can view the best of Indian cricket.

“In Sky Sports we have found the ideal platform to showcase this exciting package of events. Sky Sports’ commitment to international and domestic cricket augurs well for fans of Indian cricket in the UK.”