Having gone unsold at the IPL auction in January 2018, India's seasoned Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is playing for the English county side Yorkshire in Division one as homework for the all-important England tour later this year.

India’s tour of England will kick off from July 3 where they will play three T20Is and as many ODIs before featuring in a five-match Test series from August 1.

Besides Pujara, England Test skipper Joe Root and wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow will also return to county ranks for a brief stint next month. The duo will represent their home club (Yorkshire) in a pair of four-day County Championship games against Essex and Surrey in early May before participating in a two-match Test series against Pakistan, starting on May 24.

Speaking to Yorkshire Post on Saturday (April 28), Pujara expressed his delight on the prospect of playing alongside Root. Pujara, 30, said he wants to learn a thing or two from the England Test captain in the coming months.

"I'm really looking forward to playing with him. I would like to learn from him and speak to him about how he prepares before a game. I would also like to ask him how his experience has been in international cricket so far,” Pujara told the Yorkshire Post.

"He's improved a lot since I first saw him in 2012 when he came to India with the England team (where Root made his Test debut). He's a different player now from what he was then and has gone on to become one of the best in the world," he added.

Yorkshire is currently leading the Division 1 table as they began their third match of the season against Somerset on Friday. Pujara has managed to score 2 and 18 in his two outings so far. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, who is currently placed at the fourth spot in the rankings for ICC’s Test batsmen, will replace Pujara halfway through the season.