In preparation for the five-Test series against England, India will have a single warm-up match, following the Australia tour model. Unlike before, a four-day intra-squad encounter will be the focus instead of a simulated match. This match will take place in Beckenham, Kent, starting Friday, with the senior team facing India A.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir is keen on maintaining privacy, much like the Perth camp setup last year. During the Perth camp, the scheduled warm-up game was replaced with simulation drills, and the BCCI instructed the WACA to restrict access to training and practice sessions. Gambhir is believed to be implementing a similar strategy for this series, with the intra-squad game likely to be played behind closed doors.
The primary goal is to deny England access to India’s tactical plans, a tactic often seen in European football.
The 360-over match offers valuable practice, crucial for evaluating the bowling unit and the batting lineup, especially after the departures of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Jasprit Bumrah, the left-arm seamer, will be closely watched as he returns to first-class cricket after a six-month hiatus. The warm-up game offers him the chance to bowl longer spells and test his physical fitness before the series begins.