India A Squad Announced for England Tour with Ishan Kishan, Jaiswal, and Jurel

 BCCI Announces India A Squad for England Tour Featuring Jaiswal, Gaikwad, and Kishan

May 16, 2025 | Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the India A squad for their upcoming tour of England, slated to begin on May 30, 2025, and concluding on June 16, 2025. The highly-anticipated tour will feature two competitive first-class matches against the England Lions at Canterbury and Northampton, followed by an intra-squad match involving the India A players and Team India (Senior Men) at Beckenham.

The tour comes at a crucial time, just ahead of India’s full-fledged red-ball tour of England, and offers an invaluable platform for fringe Test hopefuls and emerging talent to adapt to English conditions, stake their claim for future selections, and serve as ready backups for the national squad.

A Talented and Balanced India A Squad Named for England

The selectors, headed by Ajit Agarkar, have opted for a well-balanced squad that includes experienced domestic performers, emerging IPL stars, and players with senior international experience. Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead the side, continuing his role as a red-ball mainstay at the India A level, while Dhruv Jurel, fresh from his Test debut earlier this year, has been named vice-captain and wicketkeeper.

The top order boasts the aggressive Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has impressed in all formats for India, and the technically sound Karun Nair, who brings invaluable experience in English conditions. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sarfaraz Khan, both consistent run-scorers in domestic cricket, further strengthen the middle order. Also in the squad is Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has emerged as a promising all-round option with strong showings in the IPL and domestic tournaments.

The team will be bolstered ahead of the second match by the arrivals of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, both currently engaged in senior duties, and expected to use the second game as a tune-up ahead of India’s senior tour.

Ishan Kishan Returns; Strong Bowling Unit Selected

One of the headline inclusions is Ishan Kishan, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter who has not featured in competitive cricket since taking a personal break in early 2024. His return to the red-ball setup provides depth and firepower in the middle order, and will be closely watched by selectors evaluating long-term options in all three formats.

The bowling unit reflects depth in both pace and spin. Shardul Thakur, a familiar face in India’s Test and ODI squads, adds all-round capability and leadership to the seam attack. He is joined by Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Tushar Deshpande, and the exciting Harshit Rana, all of whom have been performing well across IPL and domestic red-ball formats.

Khaleel Ahmed, with prior international experience, adds a left-arm angle, while Anshul Kamboj is one of the new faces in the squad rewarded for his steady domestic performances.

On the spin front, the squad features Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and Tanush Kotian, all of whom offer different skill sets ranging from left-arm orthodox to off-spin variations. These bowlers will be instrumental on English pitches that tend to assist spinners later in multi-day games.

Key Fixtures and Opportunities for Fringe Test Players

India A will begin their tour with the first four-day match against England Lions at Canterbury from May 30 to June 2, followed by the second match at Northampton from June 6 to 9. The tour will conclude with a high-profile intra-squad red-ball fixture from June 13 to 16 at Beckenham, where players will go head-to-head with members of the India Senior Test team. This final match will likely serve as a match simulation for senior players preparing for the World Test Championship Final, which begins later in June.

The tour will be especially crucial for players like Jurel, Easwaran, Sarfaraz, and Ishan Kishan, who are all part of the broader Test plans, but are competing in a crowded field for starting spots. Performances here could influence squad selection for the WTC Final and the upcoming five-Test series in England.

Development Pathway and Strategic Importance

The India A tour underscores the BCCI’s ongoing commitment to developing bench strength and maintaining format-specific depth. In recent years, India A tours have served as the springboard for numerous Test regulars, including Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, and Axar Patel.

Sending a squad with a mix of experience and youthful talent ensures readiness not just for immediate call-ups, but for grooming the next generation of red-ball specialists. With injuries, scheduling overlaps, and form fluctuations being constant in modern cricket, maintaining an active and tested pool of 25-30 players remains a priority for Indian selectors.