India A to Play Two Four-Day Matches Before England Test; Senior Players in Contention

India are gearing up to start their preparations for the five-match Test series against England with a preparatory tour by India 'A' in early June. As per a report by the Indian Express, India 'A' is expected to play a four-day match against England likely commencing on June 4 followed by an intra-squad match and then a second encounter against the Lions.

The opening Test at Headingley on June 20-24 will mark the beginning of India’s World Test Championship campaign for 2025-27. It is expected to end with the fifth Test at The Oval from July 31 to August 4.

Earlier reports indicated that the senior team’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir may personally supervise India A’s preparatory tour potentially increasing the chances of key players facing off against the England Lions.

India A typically comprises top domestic performers or players who serve as backups for key positions in the main team. Recently, ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy impressive displays from Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, and Tanush Kotian in the India A series against Australia XI earned them a call-up, while Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran were included in the squad as reserve options. Although some did not make the playing XI, Prasidh did feature in the final Test in Sydney and took six wickets.

India has three weeks to prepare for the England series, with the IPL final on May 25. Injuries after IPL 2025 are hard to predict, and competition for India A spots is fierce after the Ranji Trophy season. Karun Nair, out since 2017, impressed with 863 runs in 16 matches for Vidarbha and record-breaking scores in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur, with 505 runs in 12 games and 35 wickets in 18 matches, has also signed with Essex after being unsold in the IPL auction.

India Tour of England, 2025 (5 Tests: Jun 20 - Aug 04):