The India A vs England Lions series was intended to be a preparatory series ahead of the crucial India vs England Test series. As many as 8 players were in the India A squad, seeking some red-ball practice before a marathon five-match Test series. KL Rahul rushed to England to take part in the 2nd match after rain ruined his practice plans in Mumbai.
While KL Rahul and Karun Nair impressed along with Dhruv Jurel, there will be a question mark on Shardul Thakur and Abhimanyu Easwaran. Nitish Kumar Reddy also made full use of his game time. But India did not want to reveal their bowling tricks, with only Shardul getting some match practice out of an 8-man bowling attack. Now that both matches have ended in draws on flat decks, here are 7 takeaways from the India A vs England Lions series.
KL Rahul opener-elect
Does he play? If he does, which position does he play? There are always question marks on KL Rahul. However, Rahul seems to have answered both pretty well. After asking BCCI to let him play in the 2nd unofficial Test at Northampton, Rahul impressed with a century and a half-century in both innings. He played both innings as an opener, despite discussions around his batting position.
Rahul found success as an opener in England, scoring a century at the Lord’s when India toured England in 2021. He also played well in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as an opener. With no Rohit Sharma to make space for, Rahul will be a certainty for the opening spot with Yashasvi Jaiswal on June 20.
KL Rahul in England
| Batting position | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 18 | 614 | 149 | 34.11 | 2 | 1 |
| As an Opener | 16 | 597 | 149 | 37.31 | 2 | 1 |
| At No 3 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 8.50 | 0 | 0 |
Karun Nair set for Test return
With Virat Kohli calling it quits in Test cricket, Team India have a huge void to fill. He made the No 4 spot his own and seemed unmovable. India might have found an option, albeit only for this WTC cycle 2025-27. Karun Nair, who was discarded back in 2017, has worked his way up.
In his first outing for India A, Karun Nair slammed a double century in Canterbury. While he scored just 40 and 15 in the 2nd match, his double century and years of experience would be enough to sway Gautam Gambhir. But it’s still uncertain which position he would bat in. If the new Test captain Shubman Gill takes up No 4 slot, Nair is likely to bat at No 3 or No 5. If Gill sticks to No 3 position, Nair will slot in at No 4, Kohli’s position.
Did Abhimanyu Easwaran impress?
A journeyman with Team India so far, Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 68, 8, 80 and 11 in four innings. Although Easwaran averaged 41.75 in four innings, including two half-centuries, did he do enough to justify a spot in India’s Playing XI for the 1st Test at Leeds?
It would depend on what Gautam Gambhir plans. If Sai Sudharsan is fast-tracked to the Test XI based on IPL 2025 performance, maybe Easwaran’s 41.75 average would not be enough. But if India decide to give Easwaran a chance, considering his domestic exploits, No 3 slot could open up. This was Easwaran’s first time in England, and he did decently.
Nitish Reddy pips Shardul Thakur
In what was a battle between a batting all-rounder and a bowling all-rounder, the former won. Nitish Reddy ticked some boxes as a batter, scoring 135 runs in four innings, including a fifty. He scored 7, 52, 34 and 42. With the ball, he picked up two wickets, bowling 26.5 overs.
Shardul Thakur, the bowling all-rounder, did not look convincing enough with the ball. Thakur managed two wickets, bowling 43 overs. With the bat, he scored 27, 19 and 34. Shardul, who is making a comeback to the Test team after 19 months, should have had more in the wickets column. While his experience in England and two handy knocks with the bat on the last tour could make a case for him, it would depend on the bowling combination.
If India go with three seamers and an extra batter with some bowling, Nitish Reddy could get the nod. Thakur can only get in when Bumrah is rested. That apart, it looks difficult for India to play both Reddy and Thakur together.
Dhruv Jurel makes a case
The most consistent of the lot in the India A vs England Lions was Dhruv Jurel. The young wicketkeeper-batter, who will play the role of a backup to vice-captain Rishabh Pant, has made a case with scores of 94, 53, 52 and 28. Jurel averaged 75.66 and was India’s second-highest scorer in the two-match series.
While it will be difficult to slot in Jurel if either Sai Sudharsan or Easwaran gets the preference, India head coach Gautam Gambhir will definitely keep his form in mind. If he gets a look-in like he did in Australia, Jurel could slot in at No. 5 with Nair playing at No 3 or No 4. Rishabh Pant will be the obvious wicket-keeping choice, as Jurel was far from impressive with the gloves.
Is Yashasvi Jaiswal’s England form a concern?
With scores of 24, 64, 17 and 5, Yashasvi Jaiswal had far from an ideal series in England. The four innings could have boosted his morale after top-scoring for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He tormented England bowlers in the last series in India with 712 runs at an average of 89.00.
However, his returns in England, which will be his first time, did not boost India’s confidence. While his form might not be a concern immediately, he would need to work on his batting in England before the IND vs ENG Test series.
No game time for India’s bowling attack
Out of eight bowlers from India’s Test squad, Shardul Thakur was the only one to get any game time in the India A vs England Lions series. Akash Deep, who joined the India A squad in Northampton, warmed the bench. Other bowlers weren’t even part of India A squad, making it a bizarre selection call after two months of white-ball practice in IPL 2025.
Akash Deep, who is in contention for a spot in India’s Playing XI, should have got a feel of the conditions. However, it seems Gautam Gambhir wants to keep his bowling cards close to his chest. The only closed-door intra-squad practice match would give him the answer to who should partner with Jasprit Bumrah.
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