Seven Indian Test specialists might play a few games of first-class cricket for various clubs in the English domestic County Championship, in order to best prepare themselves for nation's campaign beginner in the inaugural World Test Championship, where Virat Kohli's men lock horns with West Indies in the Caribbean for a two-match Test series this July-August. 

It is learnt that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has zeroed in on Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari, Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma for the same. Among them, Pujara already has a three-year-long deal with Yorkshire county club and is set to play in challenging conditions of the United Kingdom again. 

"Pujara’s contract was a deal between him and the county and it’s a long term deal," a senior BCCI official told PTI on Friday (April 19). 

Rahane is likely to sign a deal with Hampshire in the coming week and is only awaiting approval from all three Committee of Administrators.

"CoA head Vinod Rai has already given his approval but Diana Edulji and Lt General Ravi Thodage are yet to give their approvals," he added. 

"With India set to play against the Caribbean in about fortnight after the end of the World Cup, the BCCI has prepared a proposal wherein their Test specialists can play some red ball cricket in months of June till mid-July."

Some of the counties which BCCI has contacted regarding this matter include clubs from either of the two divisions like Leicestershire, Essex, Nottinghamshire. 

"During the last Test series in England, the BCCI has had discussions with the CEOs of all major counties so that our top Test players can play there in summers," the official informed. 

The board is seeking preparation of at least three to four games in England for its players before they fly over to take on the Calypso Kings. 

"The conditions are completely different save that they will playing with red Dukes which will also be used in the West Indies. It’s just that they will get game time. We are hopeful that all our seven Test players will be playing either Division 1 or 2 of the English county," he concluded. 

Skipper Virat Kohli was due to play for Surrey last year, but he eventually couldn't because of neck and back injuries after IPL 2018. 

India also faces South Africa, Bangladesh, England at home, and Australia and New Zealand away during the first World Test Championship cycle that culminates with a final in the middle of 2021.