Reports: Team India To Play Warm-Up Games Ahead Of England Test Series

In a positive development for the Virat Kohli-led Team India, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has accepted BCCI’s request for a couple of warm-up games ahead of the five-match Test series against the hosts later this summer.

According to a report published in CricBuzz, a top BCCI official has confirmed the development following phone calls directly from BCCI secretary Jay Shah and ECB CEO Tom Harrison, and Chairman Ian Whatmore.

According to the report, the ECB has agreed to conduct your games and a schedule is being worked out.

The development comes after the ECB reportedly turned out Indian team management’s request of conducting warm-up games where it cited Covid protocols and unavailability of county teams in England at the time.

But following a telephonic conversation between Jay Shah and ECB’s bigwigs, the latter has decided to consider the request.

”We are aware of a request from the BCCI to play a three-day warm-up match against a County Select XI as part of the Indian Men’s Test team’s build-up to the five-match Test series. 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 tour games will take place later this month in Durham where the Indian contingent will convene on July 14.

Team India is scheduled to have a camp at the Emirates Riverside Stadium till August 01, post which they will travel to Nottingham to lock horns with England in the series-opener at Trent Bridge on August 4.

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