ECB approves Team India's request for a practice game later this month - Reports

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed to India's request for a tour game ahead of the five-match Test series. Reports indicate that Team India will play a three-day warm-up match against a select county side in the second half of this month.

The exact date of the practice game is still being worked on. Following India's defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, skipper Virat Kohli had claimed that his side wanted some first-class games before the England Test series but were denied that opportunity.

However, things have changed now, and it is being reported by The Telegraph that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah got in touch with ECB chairman Ian Whatmore and CEO Tom Harrison to arrange a practice game for the Men in Blue.

An ECB spokesperson, while speaking to The Telegraph, said:

"We are aware of a request from the BCCI to play a three-day warm-up match against a County Select XI as part of the India men’s Test team’s build-up to the five-match LV= Insurance Test Series. We are working through the operations and Covid-19 protocols to ensure we are able to deliver this and will confirm in due course."

This isn’t just a team. It’s a family. We move ahead. TOGETHER 💙🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/E5ATtCGWLo

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 24, 2021

Elaborating further on the matter, the ECB spokesperson informed the English daily that India will stay in Durham until 1 August.

“The Indian Test team will report to Emirates Riverside, Durham, for their pre-Test camp on July 15 and will prepare at the venue until August 1 before heading to Trent Bridge, Nottingham, ahead of the first Test starting on August 4.”

Shubman Gill could miss Team India's five-match Test series against England

Shubman Gill

Team India might have to rework their plans for the England series as their first-choice opener Shubman Gill could be out for two months with an injury. Reports suggest that Gill has suffered a stress-related injury to his left leg and might need up to eight weeks to get back to full fitness.

Official details about the injury are not yet out, but the young opener is expected to miss the first Test at the very least.

Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has gone on the England tour as a standby player, could be drafted into the main squad. Mayank Agarwal is being seen as the frontrunner by many experts to replace Shubman Gill in the playing XI.

🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/efvCsjizpe

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 17, 2021