India to play a warm-up game ahead of England Test series

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is working on COVID-19 protocols to organize a warm-up game for the touring Indian side against ‘Combined Counties’ side in the third week of July as a preparation for the 5-match Test series that kicks off on 4th August.

The three-day match, which may be accorded first-class status will see Virat Kohli's side against a ‘Select County XI’. The tentative dates for the match are July 20-22.

“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 teams build-up to the five-match Test series," an ECB spokesperson told PTI.

“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 15 July and will prepare at the venue until 1 August before heading to Trent Bridge, Nottingham ahead of the first Test starting on 4 August," the spokesperson added.

After India’s recent loss in the WTC final against New Zealand, experts had opined that India were hard done by the lack of practice heading into the game.