India to play a four-day warm-up game against Leicestershire ahead of England Test
The Indian Test team will clash in a warm-up match ahead of the fifth Test against England on July 1. According to Cricbuzz, the visitors will have an opportunity to acclimatize to the conditions against the Leicestershire County Cricket Club in Leicester on June 24.
It will be a four-day game, preceding the limited-overs leg against England. The white-ball outfit will arrive in England after a couple of T20I fixtures against Ireland.
After the games against Ireland, Rohit Sharma and Co. will participate in three ODIs and as many T20s in England between July 7 and 17 after the Test ends on July 5.
JUST IN: The fifth Test between England and India will be played at Edgbaston in July 2022 🏏
The match was called off last month after COVID-19 cases in the India camp. The #ENGvIND T20I series will be played from 7 July and the ODI series from 12 July. https://t.co/80qnO9Zv6d
It's worth noting that the two Indian teams will be in action simultaneously in two different countries. While the T20 side will face Ireland on June 26 and 28, the red-ball players will play a first-class game at the time against Leicester.
Head coach Rahul Dravid is reportedly coordinating with the BCCI to prepare the national side for a grueling period of cricket.
India lead the five-match Test series against England 2-1
Meanwhile, the Test scheduled from July 1-5 in Birmingham will be the fifth Test of the 2021 series. Virat Kohli, who captained the visitors against England, helped his side win the Oval Test to take a 2-1 lead.
However, they abandoned the final Test due to a high number of COVID-19 positive cases in India's camp.
cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/1…
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja were the central figures in India's 157-run win at The Oval. #ENGvIND
Here's how India took a 2-1 lead in the series ➡️ cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/1… https://t.co/oP0jT5DlfR
Hence, when Rohit Sharma walks out to lead the tourists at Edgbaston, he will need to secure a draw or victory for a historic series win in England.
Joe Root, who was the skipper in 2021, will make way for all-rounder Ben Stokes. The 30-year-old missed the series due to a mental health break. He will start his full-time stint with a two-Test rubber against New Zealand on June 2 at Lord's.