Reports: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma set to play for India A before England Test series

Team India's next major assignment is the five-match Test series against England, beginning on June 20. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has likely asked several senior players, including Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma, to play for India A ahead of the series. The reasoning behind this decision is their underwhelming performances in recent Test matches, particularly in Australia and the home series against New Zealand.

Both Kohli and Rohit have been struggling in the longer format. While the Indian captain managed only 164 runs in three Tests since September, including a disappointing 31-run outing in Australia, Virat Kohli's form was not much better, averaging 23.75 against Australia despite scoring a century in Perth. The two attempted to regain form by playing in a Ranji Trophy match; however, it did not bring significant improvements.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the BCCI has introduced several policies following India's recent struggles in Test cricket. One of them is requiring Test players to feature in the India A setup before important overseas tours. As part of this initiative, the India A squad will face the England Lions in two four-day matches.

"The first four-day match will be hosted at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, in Canterbury, from May 30. The second match is scheduled to begin a week later, on June 6, at the County Ground in Northampton," the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

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Karun Nair to be part of India A

One of the major challenges in executing this plan is the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL 2025 playoffs are set for May 20, 21, and 23, with the final on May 25. Since most of India’s senior Test players also represent their IPL franchises, their availability for the A games is still not confirmed. However, the BCCI is prioritising the Test series at the moment, ensuring that players struggling with red-ball form may be required to leave the IPL early to participate in these warm-up fixtures.

Notably, Vidarbha batter Karun Nair could be part of the India A setup after a brilliant domestic season. The veteran batter finished as the leading run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and ranked fourth in the Ranji Trophy charts with 863 runs at an average of 54, including four centuries. Furthermore, Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, is expected to travel with the India A team to monitor players closely.