India to Face 'Themselves' in Top-Secret Practice Match Before England Tests

New Delhi: Indian team will go to England in June and play a five-Test series. Team India will clash among themselves before the first match to be held in Leeds from June 20. Yes! You heard it right, in view of preparations for the England tour, the Indian team will play a practice match against India A off the camera in a closed stadium.

Usually, when a team tours a country, in view of the preparations, there is a practice match with the local team there, but no match has been planned against any local county team yet.

Sources have indicated that this match will be held at Beckenham Cricket Ground, which comes under the jurisdiction of Kent County Cricket Club. The ground is located in a suburban area near London and the team will prepare for the five-Test series through it.

According to sources, there was a discussion on broadcasting this intra-squad match (India vs India A), but the Indian team decided to keep it away from the camera, so this match will be played behind closed doors. This practice match will be played around June 13, while the Indian team is expected to reach England in the second week of June.

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Some players may travel earlier after IPL commitments, but there is no confirmed information about it. Even though the Indian senior team is not getting a chance to play matches with the local team, the India A team will play two four-day matches against England Lions on the England tour. The first match will be held in Canterbury from May 30 to June 2 and the second match will be held in Northampton from June 6 to 9.

The Indian team will be selected in May and there will be a debate on whether Rohit Sharma will captain the team or not, which will depend on his IPL season. After the opening Test in Leeds from June 20, the Indian team will play the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham from July 2-6. The third Test will be played at Lord's from July 10-14, the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 23-27 and the last Test will be played at the Oval in London from July 31 to August 4.