With India’s crucial Test tour of England approaching in June, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken decisive action by considering some key Test players for India A’s pre-tour matches. The India A squad will play two four-day games against the England Lions in preparation for the five-match Test series, which kicks off on June 20 at Headingley.
The tour games will be held in the May-June window, just ahead of the senior team’s campaign, which also marks the start of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. The first match is set for May 30 at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury, while the second game will begin on June 6 at the County Ground in Northampton. “The first four-day match will be hosted at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury from May 30. The second match is scheduled to begin a week later on June 6 at the County Ground in Northampton,” the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) stated.
A report by PTI indicates that some established Indian Test players will be included in the India A squad for these matches. This decision could place added pressure on those currently engaged in the IPL, as the playoffs are scheduled for May 20, 21, and 23, with the final set for May 25.
Among the potential call-ups, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma may be asked to feature in the games following their struggles in red-ball cricket. Rohit, the India captain, managed only 164 runs across three Test series since September, including a disappointing tally of just 31 runs during the tour of Australia. Meanwhile, Kohli, despite scoring a century in Perth, averaged only 23.75 against Australia.
Additionally, Karun Nair is being considered for selection in the India A squad. The experienced batter delivered an outstanding domestic season, finishing as the highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the Ranji Trophy, he amassed 863 runs from nine matches at an average of 54, including four centuries and two fifties, making a strong case for inclusion in the England tour.
