Team India will play one warm-up fixture in Dubai before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on February 19. The Men in Blue will open their campaign on the following day against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Ahead of the marquee event, in order to acclimatise to the conditions in Dubai, India will play a practice match and their opponent is all but confirmed.
According to a report published in Dainik Jagran, the Rohit Sharma-led side could face Bangladesh or UAE in the warm-up game. However, the ICC is yet to confirm the schedule of the fixture.
"An ICC official said that the Indian team will play all its matches in Dubai, so talks are going on about a practice match for the Indian team to acclimatise to the conditions there," read the report.
Pakistan is the designated host country for the Champions Trophy. However, India will play all their matches in Dubai as the BCCI failed to get clearance from the government to send the team across the border.
Bangladesh will be in Dubai to play India at the start of the tournament, and hence, the report claimed that there is a "high possibility" the two Asian sides will face each other in the solitary warm-up game.
However, if no agreement is reached between India and Bangladesh, the report added that the UAE could take on the 2013 champions in the practice game. While UAE is not part of the eight-team competition, the side will be available for a match against India.
Apart from the solitary warm-up fixture in Dubai, India will play three ODIs against England at home next month to prepare for the Champions Trophy. The three-match series is scheduled to get underway on February 6 in Nagpur.