The India A squad for the upcoming tour of England has reportedly been picked already, as per the Cricbuzz report, with a few finalizations awaited. India A are scheduled to play three games—two versus England Lions (May 30-June 2 and June 6-9) and one against the senior India squad (June 13-16).
The senior India side, with a new captain, is expected to be selected on May 23.
The selectors may have decided on the India A team on May 6, the day before Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, at a meeting held at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai. Abhimanyu Easwaran is the front-runner to be named captain, and the announcement is anticipated on May 13.
For the first game, the selectors have been asked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to choose a team that includes non-IPL players and members of the clubs that are anticipated to be eliminated from consideration for the IPL playoffs. Additional players may join them in England for the second and third games.
In addition to Easwaran, Tanush Kotian, Baba Indrajith, Akash Deep, and Karun Nair are all in the running to be included in the first team. Both Nitish Reddy and Dhruv Jurel will start for the A team before being selected for the senior squad. Shardul Thakur is expected to join the senior team.
Ishan Kishan’s selection remains unclear given that Jurel and Rishabh Pant are already primed for the India senior squad. Andhra's Ricky Bhui, the top scorer of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy season, is unlikely to be picked.
Shreyas Iyer, who has been amazing for India in recent ODIs, including the ICC Champions Trophy, and also for his franchise, Punjab Kings, in IPL 2025, is also not a surefire selection. However, if Virat Kohli gives in and joins the team, there's a potential that his preference, or lack thereof, would shift. Iyer has appeared in 14 Test matches, but it has been over 15 months since he last participated.
Mukesh Kumar, who has a reputation for swinging the ball well, is thought to be helpful for the England tour and could be included in one of the squads based on how his IPL club does. Likewise, Yash Dayal, who is thought to be a superior left-arm alternative to Khaleel Ahmed, will be considered for one of the squads.
Given that Sarfaraz Khan is recovering from an injury layoff, there is no information available regarding his selection. To assess a player's form and health, selectors often want him to play a few domestic cricket matches; however, it remains to be seen if Sarfaraz will be exempt from this requirement.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
