Ruturaj Gaikwad to Lead, Karun Nair Makes a Comeback; Shreyas Iyer Included in Probable India 'A' Squad for England Tour

Some of India's key players are expected to be part of the 'A' team that will play two four-day matches against the England Lions in May-June. This will help them prepare for the five-match Test series against England. India’s 45-day tour of England will begin with the first Test at Headingley on June 20, where they will aim to secure their first Test series win in England since 2007. To keep the senior fast bowlers fresh, the team will likely rely on talented pacers like Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, and Harshit Rana. All-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, who performed well in the recent series against Australia, are likely to be part of the team.

With Ravichandran Ashwin now retired, the spin department will see some new faces. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are expected to be part of the main squad. Meanwhile, the 'A' team could feature talented spinners like Tanush Kotian, Sai Kishore, and Manav Suthar.

"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.

Strong Batting Line-Up Expected

Ruturaj Gaikwad recently captained the India 'A' team in Australia and is likely to continue as captain unless Shubman Gill joins the squad. Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel have played Test cricket recently and should get another chance. Sai Sudharshan is not far from a debut and could stake a claim in England. Abhimanyu Easwaran remains a curious case, but he should continue getting chances in the main team.

Shreyas Iyer has impressed in ODI cricket and domestic cricket over the years, and it will be surprising if he does not return to the red-ball scheme of things for India. For the wicket-keeper spot, Dhruv Jurel and Ishan Kishan, who were part of the Australia tour, are likely to keep their places.

Predicted India ‘A’ Squad For Series vs England

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