The BCCI’s senior men’s selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has finalised a 14-member India A squad for the upcoming first unofficial Test against England Lions, beginning May 30, 2025, as per a report in The Indian Express. With the revised IPL schedule overlapping with the tour, the selectors have decided to name two separate India A squads for the two-match series.
Jaiswal, Kishan, Shardul to Feature in First Match
Among the key inclusions is Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s confirmed opener for the main five-Test series against England. His IPL team, Rajasthan Royals, failed to reach the playoffs, making him available for the first India A game.
Ishan Kishan also returns to red-ball contention after over a year, with Sunrisers Hyderabad now out of IPL 2025. Kishan will compete with Dhruv Jurel—a part of India’s Border-Gavaskar squad—for the wicketkeeper slot, with one possibly playing as a pure batter.
The experienced Shardul Thakur makes his way back into the red-ball mix, while Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, a non-IPL player, gets another opportunity to impress selectors. Young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pace prospect Anshul Kamboj have also been named in the squad.
Sarfaraz Left Out; Gill, Sudharsan in Second Batch
Interestingly, Sarfaraz Khan—not part of the IPL—is not included in the first batch. Reports suggest he may be drafted into the main Test squad, skipping the A games.
Shubman Gill, the likely successor to Rohit Sharma as Test captain, and Sai Sudharsan, his Gujarat Titans opening partner, are expected to feature in the second India A match to gain match practice ahead of the main series.
Washington Sundar, another GT player, is also expected to join the second batch.
Focus on Bench Strength and Fast Bowlers
With India’s frontline pacers—Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj—unlikely to play all five Tests, this tour will test India’s bench depth. The selection panel is keeping an eye on players like Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, and Anshul Kamboj, who could play crucial backup roles.
Harshit Rana, who impressed during the Australia tour, is also under consideration, particularly by head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Likely India A Squad for 1st Match vs England Lions
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Ishan Kishan
- Karun Nair
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Abhimanyu Easwaran
- Dhruv Jurel
- Shardul Thakur
- Tanush Kotian
- Mukesh Kumar
- Akash Deep
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Anshul Kamboj
- Manav Suthar
With a packed English tour and the World Test Championship cycle underway, the India A series will be key in shaping the Test core for the future.
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