India to play two tour games ahead of England series

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The Indian team will play two tour games ahead of the five-match Test series against England according to a Cricbuzz report. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed to the request made to them by India earlier to play a couple of games before the series commences on August 4 in Nottingham. 

India are slated to play five Tests against England and the series will also mark the beginning of the next cycle of the World Test Championship. 

Initially, the plan was to have practice matches between India and India ‘A’ sides. India ‘A’ side was also scheduled to travel to the UK at the same time but given the Covid-19 issues and travel bans, the plan was altered and a camp had been put in Durham instead. 

"We are aware of a request from the BCCI to play a three-day warm-up match against a County Select XI as part of the Indian Men's Test team's build-up to the five-match Test series. We are working through the operations and COVID-19 protocols to ensure we are able to deliver this and will confirm in due course,” a spokesman for the ECB said. 

India had earlier expressed the desire to play one or two warm up matches before the start of the Test series after suffering a defeat in the WTC final against New Zealand.  

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