The Indian cricket team will play a practice match before the five-match Test series on the England tour. There was suspense as to which team India would play a practice match against. However, it is now clear with which team the visiting team will play the practice match. Following the BCCI’s request, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is hosting a warm-up match for Team India ahead of the Test series, which will be held for three days and from July 20 to 22. The five-match Test series between India and England will be held from August 4. Team India have been given a break after the World Test Championship final, which is to be played after returning from a break. Earlier, there were reports that Team India would play an intra-squad match before the Test series. Captain Virat Kohli gave his opinion on the practice match after the World Test Championship final.
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According to a PTI report, ‘Before the Test series, Team India will play a three-day warm-up match against Select County XI. This match will be awarded first-class match status. For this purpose, the ECB selects players from all county teams who will be part of the Select County Eleven.
An ECB spokesperson told PTI: “We are aware of BCCI’s request that the Indian men’s Test team play a three-day warm-up match against County Select XI before the five-match Test series. We are working on this Kovid-19 protocol and it will be confirmed soon.
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Team India itself wants to play a practice match instead of two intra-squad matches. The BCCI had informed the ECB about the matter. Commenting on the practice match after the final of the World Test Championship, Virat Kohli said, ‘We want it for ourselves, but it does not depend on us. We need a first-class match, but I have no idea why that isn’t happening. But yeah we have plenty of time to prepare.
