The Indian cricket team is set for a blockbuster summer as they prepare to face England in a high-profile five-Test series starting June 20. After a disappointing 1-3 defeat against Australia, which cost India a spot in the ICC World Test Championship Final, the team aims to kick off the new WTC cycle on a positive note and end an 18-year drought for a Test series victory on English soil.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is expected to announce the squad for the challenging England tour in the second week of May, with Rohit Sharma likely to captain the Test team despite speculation about his place in the longest format.
Before the Tests begin, India A will take on England Lions in two four-day matches, starting May 30 at Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, followed by the second match at the County Ground in Northampton from June 6. These games will provide fringe players with an opportunity to prove themselves against the Dukes ball in challenging conditions, while some senior players are expected to participate in the second match in Northampton as preparation for the main series.
The series poses a critical test for several players’ futures in the Test squad. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will face scrutiny following their underwhelming performances in Australia. While major changes to the main India squad are unlikely, players such as Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Washington Sundar, and Tanush Kotian, who toured Australia, may be dropped for the five Tests.
Players like Sai Sudharsan, Shardul Thakur, Karun Nair, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mukesh Kumar could be valuable additions, depending on UK conditions. With Ravichandran Ashwin having retired, the return of a now-fit Kuldeep Yadav to the Test squad seems imminent, alongside the familiar pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami. Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep, and Mukesh Kumar are frontrunners to provide bench strength. Although Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed with the bat in Australia, his bowling struggled in key moments. Shardul Thakur, a standout for Mumbai and Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, will compete with Reddy for a spot in the playing XI.
Can Gautam Gambhir and the team management find a way to include both?
Karun Nair presents an intriguing case. After a record-breaking domestic season with Vidarbha, the Karnataka-born batter is back in contention for the Indian squad. He scored 863 runs in the Ranji Trophy, helping Vidarbha clinch the title, and amassed 779 runs at an average of 389 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His experience in the County Championship with Northamptonshire, where he scored 487 runs in seven matches, including an unbeaten 202 in a match against Glamorgan, adds to his credentials. With doubts about Sarfaraz Khan’s ability in overseas conditions, could Karun Nair become another comeback story in Indian cricket?
Sai Sudharsan is another name to watch. Despite an injury-plagued domestic season and sports hernia surgery, the Tamil Nadu batter scored a century during India A’s tour of Australia in October 2023, while also making 82 and 213 in only his two Ranji Trophy innings in the first half of the season. As the current IPL Orange Cap holder with 456 runs in nine matches for Gujarat Titans, he is a strong candidate for the India A squad and could even feature in the senior team.
For India A, Anshul Kamboj, who took 34 wickets in 14 Ranji Trophy innings last season, including a 10-wicket haul, is likely to earn his maiden call-up. Khaleel Ahmed will aim to impress with the red ball, while Bengal’s Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, with 29 wickets in 11 innings and a century with the bat, could be a valuable pace-bowling all-round option. It remains to be seen whether or not Harsh Dubey, Ranji Trophy’s highest wicket-taker with a record 69 wickets, secures a place in the India A squad.
In addition to the senior men’s team, the India Under-19 men’s team will tour England this summer for a comprehensive series, including five one-dayers and two four-day ‘Tests’ against the hosts. This tour will serve as preparation for the U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia in January 2026. The likes of Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi could feature in the series.
The schedule is as follows: 1st OD: June 27, Hove, 2nd OD: June 30, Northampton, 3rd OD: July 2, Northampton, 4th OD: July 5, Worcester, 5th OD: July 7, Worcester, 1st Test: July 12-15, Worcester, 2nd Test: July 20-23, Chelmsford
The Indian women’s team will also tour England for three WODIs and five WT20Is, while the Indian mixed disability team will participate in a seven-match T20I series this summer.