India Request England Cricket Board For Practice Matches Ahead Of The Five-Test Series Against The Hosts

The England Cricket Board (ECB) has a task to squeeze in a warm-up match for India ahead of the five-match Test series against the hosts. India are gearing up for their next assignment in their England sojourn and hope to bounce back from the ICC World Test Championship final loss to New Zealand. The ECB remarked they will confirm if they could make it happen.

India’s lack of match practice in English conditions has been seen as a significant reason for their World Test Championship final defeat to the Kiwis. With challenging batting conditions on offer in Southampton, Virat Kohli’s men could not adapt quickly to it and their underwhelming display cost them the decider. Furthermore, a single intra-squad practice game was not enough for the bowlers to understand what lengths to hit on these pitches.

On the contrary, New Zealand had two Test matches against England to get used to the conditions before the final. They geared up by beating Joe Root’s men for the first time in a home Test series in seven years and overcame India through sheer discipline across departments. India were initially due to play their own A team in two fixtures; however, that schedule stands altered to a couple of intra-squad fixtures as their second-string visit was called off due to the COVID-19-related issues in April.

We are working through the operations and COVID-19 protocols to ensure we are able to deliver this: England Cricket Board

Hence, the tourists hope to face an English county team in a four-day game. A spokesman of the England Cricket Board (ECB) stated they are working through the operations and COVID-19 guidelines to ensure they are able to arrange for such fixtures. They would confirm in due course of the same. The representative also announced that India will arrive in Durham on the 15th of July, where they will prepare for the five-Test series till the 1st of August before heading to Trent Bridge for the opening game on the 4th.

“We are working through the operations and COVID-19 protocols to ensure we are able to deliver this and will confirm in due course. The Indian Test team will report to Emirates Riverside, Durham for their pre-Test camp on July 15 and will prepare at the venue until August 1 before heading to Trent Bridge, Nottingham ahead of the first Test starting on August 4,” the spokesperson said as quoted by Daily Mail.

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