India National Cricket Team players will be playing just two games before the start of the Test series against England National Cricket Team later this year. As per the reports in Indian Express, it is learned that A side will be playing two games in the first week of June with frontline players expected to take part in the game.
The India National Cricket Team will be locking horns with the England National Cricket Team in the five-match Test series. The series will mark the new edition of the ICC World Test Championship and the team would be keen to start that on high, especially after a poor last cycle.
The Indian players will be getting very little time to prepare for the England Tests due to the IPL
The Indian players will be getting very little time to prepare for the England series because of the IPL. The league will be played for over two months and will conclude in May. The series between the two teams will be played from 20th June, and hence, the players will get just more than two weeks to prepare for the series.
Ahead of the series, the A side reportedly will be locking horns with England Lions in a four-day fixture. The match is expected to take place from June 4. After that, the team will be playing an intra-squad match before the first Test. The second A fixture against the Lions team will happen thereafter.
Star players will be taking part in A games, BCCI wants Test regulars to get red-ball game time before the Test series
The reports claimed that players will be taking part in A games as BCCI wants Test regulars to get red-ball game time before the series. It is also learned that the governing body is all set to reward consistent performers in the domestic circuit for the England series.
The A games will be crucial for the Rohit Sharma-led side ahead of the main series. With games set to be played in early English summer, they will offer fresh pitches, which will help players work against moving balls, especially on the back of a massive white-ball season.
India have been poor in the Tests of late
The Test team has witnessed a massive downfall in the last few months. India faced their first-ever whitewash at home after New Zealand beat them 3-0 last year, and it saw the team facing massive criticism.
After that, the Rohit Sharma-led side had a forgettable Australia tour. They were at the receiving end of 3-1 thrashing at the hands of the Pat Cummins-led side. This came after they dominated the first game of the series at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
The poor performances in the Tests saw the Rohit Sharma-led side eliminated from the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2025. They were one of the favourites to make it into the final after the Bangladesh series, but after that witnessed a massive dip.
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