India A Squad Announced for England Tour Featuring Karun Nair and Emerging Talents

India A Squad for England Tour Unveiled

On Friday, the squad for India A's upcoming tour to England was revealed, showcasing several prominent players, including Karun Nair, who has been recognized for his outstanding domestic cricket performance.

Match Schedule for India A

During this tour, India A is set to compete in two first-class matches against the England Lions, scheduled for May 30 and June 6 at Canterbury and Northampton, respectively. The tour will conclude with an intra-squad match against Team India on June 13 at Beckenham.

Leadership and Performance of Abhimanyu Easwaran

The team will be captained by Abhimanyu Easwaran, a seasoned player for Bengal with an impressive record of 101 first-class matches, accumulating 7,674 runs at an average of 48.87, including 27 centuries and 29 fifties. However, he faced challenges during his last tour to Australia, managing only 36 runs across four innings.

IPL Stars to Join the Squad

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, both key players for the Gujarat Titans, will join the squad before the second match. Gill has scored 508 runs in 11 matches, while Sudharsan has accumulated 509 runs in the same number of matches, both achieving five half-centuries.

Karun Nair's Stellar Domestic Season

Karun Nair concluded a remarkable domestic season with Vidarbha, scoring 863 runs in the Ranji Trophy at an average of 53.93, including four centuries and two fifties. His highest score of 135 came in the final, leading his team to victory.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Success

Nair's standout performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy saw him score 779 runs in nine matches at an astonishing average of 389.50, with five centuries and a best score of 163*. His contributions were pivotal in his team's journey to the finals.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Contributions

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Nair scored 255 runs in six innings, averaging 42.50 with a strike rate of 177.08, including three half-centuries. His team was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Hope for National Team Recall

Nair's impressive performances have reignited hopes for a return to the national team, as he last represented India in 2017 and is the only Indian Test player to have scored a triple century after the legendary Virender Sehwag.

Key Players in the India A Squad

Yashasvi Jaiswal, a regular opener for the Indian team, will also participate in the India A matches. In IPL 2025, he has scored 473 runs in 12 matches at an average of 43.00, including five fifties. He had a notable performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 391 runs in five matches.

Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and pacer Akash Deep, who have shown promise during the ICC World Test Championship cycle, are also included in the squad. Nitish made a remarkable Test debut in Australia, scoring 298 runs in five matches.

Ishan Kishan and Shardul Thakur Join the Squad

Ishan Kishan returns to the squad as a second wicketkeeper-batter alongside Jurel. He has played two Tests for India, scoring 78 runs in three innings. Shardul Thakur, who has had notable performances in England, including three half-centuries, has also made the squad after a successful Ranji Trophy season.

Bowling Line-Up for the Tour

The bowling contingent includes Mukesh Kumar, Anshul Kambhoj, Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar Deshpande, and spin all-rounders Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, and Harsh Dubey. Harsh was instrumental in Vidarbha's Ranji campaign, earning the 'Player of the Tournament' title.

Pacer Harshit Rana, who has represented India in all formats, is also part of the squad, having taken 15 wickets in seven Tests.

Complete India A Squad

India A squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey.