India A will take on England Lions in three four-day practice matches ahead of the five-match Test between the two senior men’s teams, Indian media reported on Thursday.
According to the details, the schedule of the warm-up fixtures is yet to be finalised but there is a strong possibility that they will be played between the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 25 and the commencement of the Test series on June 20.
The development came when the India men’s cricket team are going through a rough patch in the longest format as they recently suffered a historic 3-0 series whitewash against New Zealand at home before succumbing to a 3-1 away series defeat against Australia.
The outcome of the two series also barred the men in blue from qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will be contested between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s from June 11 to 15.
The practice matches also address the concerns regarding Indian players’ lack of participation in red-ball matches besides international fixtures.
The move would also help the Indian selectors to test young talents and senior players to regain their lost touch in the format.
India’s longer formats captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli have been under severe criticism for their below-par performances in Tests.
Rohit managed to score only 31 runs across five innings of the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), which saw other veteran Kohli getting out on deliveries outside the off-stump channel in each of his innings.
For the unversed, India are currently preparing for a home white-ball series against England, comprised of five T20Is and three ODIs.
The series will serve as India’s last chance to finetune their preparations for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9.
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