Team India to play a secret match before England tour; opposition kept in the dark

India will begin their preparations for the upcoming five-Test series against England with a closed-door warm-up match against India A. According to the latest reports, the match will take place at Beckenham, a venue managed by Kent County Cricket Club, ahead of the series opener at Headingley on June 20.

The squad for the England Test series is expected to be announced in May, with Rohit Sharma’s future as captain under discussion. Rohit struggled in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024–25 series against Australia. The 37-year-old batter opted out of the fifth and final Test match in Sydney.

India to Face India A in Closed-Door Warm-Up Ahead of England Series

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the BCCI has scheduled an intra-squad practice match for Team India as part of their preparations for the England Test series. There were discussions about broadcasting the game, but team management decided to keep it private to maintain focus.

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"Cricbuzz understands that discussions took place regarding the possibility of broadcasting the intra-squad match - essentially an India vs. India A game. However, the proposal apparently did not find approval from the concerned authorities, as the Indian team preferred to keep the match off camera - behind closed doors," the report read.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma ordered to play in England Test series as a captain

India to Play Only One Practice Game Ahead of Five-Match Series

The match, set for June 13, will be the team’s only warm-up fixture before the high-profile series. Following a two-week rest after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, players will travel to England in the second week of June.

"Sources have indicated that the intra-squad match is the only practice game scheduled ahead of the first Test at Headingley in Leeds, starting on June 20. As of now, no matches against local county teams have been planned. The Beckenham ground, located in the southeastern part of London (or the Greater London area), is said to have good standard facilities," the report added.

India A to Tour England for Two Four-Day Matches

Some Indian players might travel to England earlier based on their IPL commitments. However, no official confirmation has been made regarding individual schedules. Senior players have traveled early for acclimatization in previous tours.

Meanwhile, the India A team will also tour England, playing two four-day matches against the England Lions. The first match will take place at Canterbury from May 30 to June 2, followed by the second game at Northamptonshire from June 6 to 9. India A will then face the senior Indian team in a warm-up match.

The five-Test series will begin at Headingley on June 20. As per schedule, the remaining matches will be played in Birmingham (July 2-6), Lord’s (July 10-14), Old Trafford (July 23-27), and The Oval (July 31-August 4).

India have not secured a Test series victory in England since 2007. During their 2021-22 tour, India were in a strong position with a 2-1 lead before the final Test was postponed due to COVID-19. However, when the series resumed almost a year later, England won the match, denying India a series win.

Also Read: India vs England Test series retired despite FTP announcement