BCCI Sets Strict Guidelines for England Tests: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Likely to Feature in India A Matches; Karun Nair Expected to Join Squad

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) cracked a whip ahead of the all-important tour of England in June as some of the frontline players of the Indian Test team are likely to be part of the 'A' squad, which will face the Lions in two four-day matches.

These pre-tour games will be played in the May-June window, in preparation for the five-match Test series against England. which will mark the start of their campaign in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. To help the team prepare well for this challenging series, the BCCI is putting in a lot of effort to make sure the players are fully ready.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to play for India A

India's senior players, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are expected to play for the 'A' team in two four-day matches against the Lions before the Test series against England. These practice games are scheduled for the May-June period to help them prepare for the five-match Test series.

The Test series will start on June 20, while the 'A' team's matches will begin on May 30, which is less than a week after the IPL ends on May 25."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) said in a statement.

According to a report in the PTI, a few mainstay India Test players will be part of the 'A' team for the tour games. This could put pressure on these players, who are all contracted with their respective IPL franchises at the moment. The playoffs for IPL 2025 will be played on May 20, 21, and 23 before the final on May 25.

Karun Nair to be picked for England tour

Karun Nair might get a chance to play for the India A team in the two matches against the Lions. He had a brilliant domestic season, ending as the highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the Ranji Trophy, he also performed really well, scoring 863 runs in nine matches at an average of 54, with four centuries and two fifties. His consistent batting has caught attention and could help him make a comeback.

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