Team India to play 2 T20 practice games in July on England tour

Team India led by Rohit Sharma is scheduled to play two T20 practice matches on England tour. They will face Derbyshire at the Incora County Ground on July 1 and then Northamptonshire at the County Ground on July 3. Interestingly, they will face the Derbyshire team consisting of Pakistan cricketer Shan Masood, and former Sri Lanka pacer Suranga Lakmal.

The Indian Test squad will be facing England in the final Test match, that wasn’t played due to COVID-19 fears last year, during the same period, as it is set to begin on July 1. They will also be playing England in a three-match T20I series, which will commence on July 7 at the Ageas Bowl, followed by a three-match ODI series during the tour.

The fifth Test of the series, which is yet to be played, was canceled last year after there was a Covid-19 case detected in the camp. The Indian team had refused to play the Test against England and the BCCI and ECB had arrived at a mutual decision that the last Test would be scheduled later. India currently lead the five-match series 2-1 and will be looking to create history.

Meanwhile, The Derbyshire and Northamptonshire warm-up match will clash with the Test match, and the selectors are likely to pick two different squads. Team India is also scheduled to face Ireland for two T20Is in the last week of July and given that the Test squad will have to reach England earlier, a depleted T20 squad might play there too.

Here’s the schedule for India’ tour of England

Rescheduled Test Match

July 1 to July 5, Edgbaston

T20 Warm-up matches

Derbyshire XI v India XI Incora County Ground, Derby – July 1

Northamptonshire XI v India XI County Ground, Northampton – July 3

T20I Series

1st T20I: July 7, The Ageas Bowl

2nd T20I: July 9, Edgbaston

3rd T20I: July 10, Trent Bridge

ODI Series

1st ODI: July 12, The Oval

2nd ODI: July 14, Lord’s

3rd ODI: July 17, Old Trafford