5 players to keep a close watch on in ENG A vs IND A 2025 1st Test ft. Sarfaraz Khan
India A and England A are set to battle it out in the 1st unofficial Test starting Friday, May 30, at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury. This series serves as preparation ahead of India's tour of England next month in June.
India will participate in a five-match Test series in England. This will be their first series in the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle and also under newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill, following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the format.
Several players who are part of the senior team squad for the England series will also play in the unofficial games beforehand. They will be eager to acclimate to the conditions, perform well, and make their case ahead of the vital series. Likewise, England will keep an eye on certain players from the A side. England A has won the toss and will field first in this game.
That said, here are five players to watch closely in the first Test between England A and India A.
#5 James Rew
Twenty-one-year-old wicketkeeper-batter James Rew will lead the England A side in the first Test. The left-hander comes off an impressive performance in the County Championship this year.
Playing for Somerset, the youngster accumulated 474 runs from seven matches and 12 innings, boasting an impressive average of 43.09 with two centuries and a half-century. While the responsibility of leading the team is significant, it will be fascinating to see if he can maintain his County Championship form here as well.
#4 Rehan Ahmed
20-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed will also have a crucial role in this Test. Since he is part of England's senior setup as well, it will be important to observe how he performs and uses this opportunity to find his rhythm and prepare for the big series.
Rehan has also shown good form in the County Championship. Playing for Leicestershire, the all-rounder scored 394 runs from 12 innings, including two centuries and a fifty. He took only seven wickets across ten innings and will look to improve his performance with the ball.
#3 Sarfaraz Khan
The case of Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan is an intriguing one. He has not been selected for the Test squad for the England series but is part of the India A team. He has also worked on his fitness, but has unfortunately missed out on the main squad.
Sarfaraz has played six matches in the format for the national team and scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10, including a century and three fifties. All eyes will certainly be on the right-hander in the India A game following his omission from the senior side.
#2 Shardul Thakur
Pace bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who was not part of the team during the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series, has been recalled to the Test side for the England series. He is also included in the India A team and will participate in this game.
This opportunity allows him to make a dream comeback and present his case ahead of the main series. The all-rounder had a breakout 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season with Mumbai, where he scored 505 runs, including a century and four fifties, and took 35 wickets.
#1 Karun Nair
Similar to Shardul, batter Karun Nair also has a dream comeback story. The 33-year-old last played a Test for India in 2017 and has been recalled to the side after eight years.
Playing for Vidarbha in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, he had an outstanding season, amassing 863 runs from nine matches at an average of 53.93, with four centuries and two half-centuries. Following a brilliant season and the lack of senior batters in the team, Karun has been recalled, and he will be closely watched in the A game.