BCCI Organizes UK Warm-Up Games After Back-to-Back Test Defeats | Reports

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January 16, 2025 0 645

India will play three four-day matches in the UK against England Lions after the IPL final on May 25 to prepare for the England Test series starting June 20.

Following heavy defeats to New Zealand and Australia, the BCCI has reportedly planned three four-day matches in the UK ahead of India’s Test series against England. The games, scheduled after the IPL final on May 25, will help players adjust to English conditions before the first Test in Leeds on June 20. The matches will feature the England Lions, with dates and venues to be confirmed.

This preparatory series aims to strengthen India’s red-ball performance after losing 0-3 to New Zealand at home and 1-3 to Australia away. The board believes these matches will help players regain form in red-ball cricket and get used to challenging English pitches before the crucial Test series.

“We had a similar ‘A’ tour to Australia ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. These matches will help players to come to terms with English conditions and, also, a chance for them to play red-ball cricket after some time,” a source in the BCCI told PTI on condition of anonymity.

Limited Red-Ball Matches Raise Concerns

Meanwhile, several Indian players, including Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, are preparing for the Ranji Trophy matches resuming on January 23. However, many will feature in only one of the two remaining rounds due to the white-ball series against England starting on January 22 in Kolkata.

The focus on Indian batters’ domestic performances comes after disappointing outings by senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the Australia series. With the IPL starting soon after the England series, opportunities for red-ball preparation are limited.

“We don’t have too many red-ball matches now as the IPL will start soon after the series against England. It’s not wise to send the squad to an important series without proper preparation as England is generally a tough place for batters because of the conditions,” the source added.

Notably, younger players such as Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel, and Prasidh Krishna had strong performances against the England Lions last year. Their form had earned them spots in series against England, New Zealand, and Australia.