A few known Indian Test team faces, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel, were included in the India A team on Friday for a two-match series against England Lions starting in Canterbury on May 30.
Interestingly, Shubman Gill—reportedly to take over as Test captain from Rohit Sharma upon his retirement—and B. Sai Sudharsan are joining the team for the second four-day match in Northampton from June 6.
This India A tour precedes as it does the marquee five-Test series against England. Ahead of the build-up, India A will also play a high-intensity intra-squad match with the senior team members in Beckenham from June 13 to 16. The first Test of the principal series is to be played in Leeds from June 20.
Based on the official BCCI release naming the squad, the tour schedule remains unaltered despite the IPL final on June 3, having been preponed from its original date of May 25.
Most of the players named represent either those franchises already eliminated from the playoff contention of IPL 2025 or have little hope of making it in.
Karun Nair, one of the most toured players inside the country, returns to the national team after a hiatus of eight years. Vidarbha's Harsh Dubey, who recorded a record 69 wickets during the season of the Ranji Trophy, has also been accorded a spot on the tour.
Ishan Kishan, who has been unavailable in recent months, has been included as the second wicketkeeper.
Skilled fast bowlers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, who were members of the India Test team during the tour of Australia, will also be part of the team. Batter Sarfaraz Khan is also in the mix.
Captain for the tour is Abhimanyu Easwaran. The series provides a good opportunity for regular Test players to find some rhythm in advance of the England Tests, and for domestic players to put their case forward for national selection in the future.
With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma walking out on the longest form, the Indian Test side is clearly in a new phase. Gill, hoping to reverse his poor record in English conditions, will hope to get into his groove with his show in the second game. His in-form Gujarat Titans colleague Sai Sudharsan will also find it hard to be left out of the full Test side.
India A Squad:
Abhimanyu Easwaran (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (Vice-Captain & WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey
Note: Shubman Gill and B. Sai Sudharsan will be included in the team before the second match.
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