India A to play two practice matches in England

The Indian men's cricket team will visit England later this year for a five-match Test series. The series will begin on June 20 in Leeds. India’s team recently lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia, which means they did not qualify for the World Test Championship final. They will enter the new World Test Championship season by facing England in this series. Before the Tests, Indian players are expected to have at least two practice matches. A report suggests that a tour with India A will start in the first week of June. They will play against England Lions in a four-day match on June 4, followed by an intra-squad match. The series will begin right after the Indian Premier League, so many regular Test players are likely to participate in the first India A match. In the past, players like KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal took part in warm-up matches before a Test series. The Test matches are scheduled as follows: the first at Headingley from June 20 to 24, the second at Edgbaston from July 2 to 6, the third at Lord’s from July 10 to 14, and the fourth at Old Trafford from July 23 to 27. The final Test will be held at Kennington Oval in London from July 31 to August 4. In their last encounter, India won the Test series 4-1 in 2024. However, the last red-ball series in England ended in a draw at 2-2.