Bangladesh Prepares for Historic Chelmsford Test and Lord's Return in 2027

The Bangladesh Cricket Board is quietly sketching out one of the most significant red-ball tours in its history: a return to Lord's in 2027, potentially preceded by a maiden Test outing at Chelmsford against Ireland.

The ECB has already confirmed that Bangladesh will play a one-off Test at Lord's from May 28 next year, a fixture that drops into the calendar as part of England’s build-up to a home Ashes. For Bangladesh, it is far more than a warm-up assignment for the hosts. It is a long-awaited comeback to the game's most storied venue after a 17-year absence.

Behind that headline date, though, sits another piece of the jigsaw.

A BCB official involved in the planning confirmed that talks are progressing over a one-off Test against Ireland at Chelmsford ahead of the Lord's match.

“ECB announced their fixture against which is scheduled at Lords and we are hoping Cricket Ireland will also announce their fixture of the one-off Test series at some point taking the discussion between the two boards into consideration,” the official told Cricbuzz on Wednesday, outlining the board’s position.

For now, it remains an ambition rather than a done deal.

“Until it is announced by them we cannot confirm it but we certainly are hopeful about the Test series against Ireland at Chelmsford,” he added, underlining both the uncertainty and the intent.

The ICC’s Future Tours Programme did not originally include an England tour for Bangladesh in this window. The opening arrived when the ECB offered the Lord's Test as part of its Ashes preparation, a move that has handed Bangladesh an unexpected stage and a rare crack at English conditions.

Bangladesh’s Test history in England is brief but memorable. They toured in 2005 and 2010, learning harsh lessons in seaming conditions while leaving behind flashes of resistance that hinted at a growing red-ball identity. Since then, a full generation of cricketers has come and gone without setting foot in a Lord's Test.

This time, the build-up could be more substantial.

Before they head to England, Bangladesh will host Ben Stokes’ side for a two-match Test series at home, a contest that forms part of the ICC World Test Championship. That series will test their resilience in familiar conditions, sharpen their bowling workloads, and give selectors a clearer view of who is ready for the challenge of Lord's and, if agreed, Chelmsford.

Chelmsford County Cricket Ground adds another layer of intrigue. The venue has staged ODIs but has never hosted a Test match. A Bangladesh–Ireland fixture there would not only mark a first for the ground, it would also hand both teams a rare opportunity to contest a red-ball match in English conditions outside the traditional power centres.

For Ireland, it would be another step in their stop-start Test journey. For Bangladesh, it would be a crucial acclimatisation stop before walking out at the Home of Cricket with an Ashes-tuned England in wait.

If the pieces fall into place, Bangladesh’s 2027 will feature a home Test series against England, a historic first Test at Chelmsford, and a long-overdue return to Lord's.

For a team still fighting for regular space in the longest format, that is not just a tour. It is a statement about where they want their Test cricket to go.