Five takeaways from India A-England Warm-up matches

The two warm-up matches between India A and England were both won by the side that was chasing but therein is where the similarity ends, as far as both matches were concerned. If the first match was all about Dhoni rediscovering his big-hitting ways at the end of the innings, the second was all about another England collapse in India.

While the first match was about one side (India A) looking in control for large portions of the match before losing out in the end on a good pitch where the total just wasn't enough, the second was dominated by one side (India A) after a collapse that saw England go from 115/1 to 211/9 before they relied on their batting depth to come close to playing out their quota of overs.

Here are some takeaways from the two warm-up matches ahead of the ODI and T20I series:

Yuvraj-Dhoni offer a glimpse into the past

Nostalgia is often a wonder thing. Not only does it give us the opportunity to look back on a time when everything was rosy but also sometimes taints the memory of the past and lures us into believing that nothing was ever wrong back then.

The form that Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni showed in the first warm-up match is certainly good signs for India ahead of the series and with a Champions Trophy looming in the background. But while both players are still good enough at the highest level, they are 35 and shouldn't be relied upon for far too long and things could all go pear-shaped.

Despite the fifty that he scored, Yuvraj still didn't look too comfortable against the short ball and in a crunch scenario, that could be used to work him over. While Dhoni did score 23 off the last over, he took some time to get going and him batting any lower than No.4 might mean India are losing out on a vital aspect of his batting, i.e., forming partnerships.

Should both players perform to their potential, India will look a force in the middle-order once again but they should take care to not rely too much on them too early.