ENG vs IND: How did India squad players perform against England Lions ahead of the Test series?

Seven players from India's 18-member Test squad participated in two unofficial matches against England Lions. The series ended in a draw, with some players showing promising form while others struggled.

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7 India squad players performance against England Lions

The two-match unofficial Test series between India A and England Lions came to an end after the second match at Northampton’s County Ground ended in a draw. The first Test at Canterbury’s St Lawrence Ground also did not have any result, meaning the series ended in a draw.

The two unofficial Tests were played ahead of the five-match Test series between England and India, starting on June 20. Seven players who were included in India’s 18-member squad played for India A against England Lions. Let’s take a look at how each of them performed ahead of the main series against England, with the first match happening at Headingley.

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1. Abhimanyu Easwaran

Abhimanyu Easwaran was included in the India squad for the upcoming Test series against England. He was part of the India squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which the team failed to defend the title after losing the five-match series 1-3 to Australia. In two unofficial Tests against England Lions, Easwaran had a decent outing, scoring 167 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 41.75 in four innings. Both his fifties came in the second unofficial Test after he failed to perform in the first match of the India A tour of England. Easwaran will be hoping for a place in India’s playing XI for the opening Test against England at Headingly.

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2. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been far the best batter for India in Tests since making his debut in the format in 2023. He had a record-breaking Test series against England at home and was the highest run-scorer for Team India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, Jaiswal did not have his best outings in the recently concluded two unofficial Tests against England Lions, as he could score just 110 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 27.50 in 4 innings. This raises a bit of concern about his form ahead of a crucial Test series against England.

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3. KL Rahul

After the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Tests, KL Rahul emerged India’s senior-most batter for the England tour. The 33-year-old was part of the original India A squad, but it was reported that he made a special request to the BCCI to let him play to hit the red ball after playing 2 months of the Indian Premier League. Rahul justified his request to the BCCI as he scored 167 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an impressive average of 83.50 in two innings. KL Rahul is likely to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top in the upcoming Test series against England.

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4. Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy grabbed national headlines with an impressive century in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December last year. Since then, he has been in the team’s plan for Tests. However, the 22-year-old had a modest outing with the bat as he scored 135 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 45.00 in four innings. With the ball, Nitish picked up two wickets while conceding 112 runs at an average of 56.00 and an economy rate of 4.17. Nitish is likely to make it to the playing XI as an extra seam bowling all-round option.

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5. Karun Nair

Karun Nair made his return to the India Test squad after a gap of eight years, thanks to his impressive performance in domestic cricket. Nair justified his selection by being the highest run-scorer of the two-match unofficial series against England Lions, amassing 259 runs, including a century, at an average of 86.33 in three innings. He scored a double century in the first match and scored 40 and 15 in the second game of the India A tour of England. His performance might allow him to get into the playing XI for the Test series against England.

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6. Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur made a comeback into the India squad after over a year, with his last Test appearance in the first against South Africa at Centurion in December 2023. Thakur is aiming for a spot in the playing XI after more than 18 months, but Pahalgar-born cricketer was not too impressive in the recently concluded two-match unofficial series against England Lions. Shardul Thakur scored just 80 runs at an average of 26.66 in three innings. With the ball, he picked just two wickets while conceding 145 runs at an average of 72.5 and an economy rate of 3.37.

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7. Dhruv Jurel

Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel seemed to have cemented his place in the India Test squad since the Test series against England at home. Jurel had quite an impressive outing in India A’s two unofficial Tests against England Lions, amassing 227 runs, including three fifties, at an average of 75.66 in 4 innings. In the first match, Jurel fell just six runs short of a well-deserved century, as he was dismissed for 94 in the first innings. Jurel will hope for a place in the playing XI as a batter, given that vice-captain Rishabh Pant is expected to take up wicketkeeping duties.