One of the areas of concern which eventually turned out to be among the reasons why India lost the final of the ICC World Test Championship final to New Zealand, was the lack of red-ball cricket in conditions alien to the Indian cricketers.
The team looked out of sorts with both the bat and the ball and a lot of that could be blamed to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the packed cricket schedule.
However, lack of practise and knowledge of the current conditions in the UK, combined with some poor cricket led to India’s downfall. The team is currently on a three-week holiday in the UK, spending time exploring the country with their families but one eye will certainly be on the road ahead for them which is full of challenges.
India have had a poor record in England losing all four Test series that they played in the last decade, and if the team doesn’t change its ways and pulls up their socks, the result will not be a lot different given that their batsmen struggle in the conditions and pitches in England and their bowlers also fail to deliver.
Nevertheless, in order to sharpen their preparations and be completely ready for the five-Test series starting on August 4, it has been reported that the Indian team will get to play a tour match against a Select County XI picked by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
It has also been revealed that the Indian team management, currently in the UK, acknowledge to have put in a late request for a tour match which has been felicitated by both, the BCCI and the ECB. The match will be played from July 20-22 following the assembly of the Indian cricketers in the UK, on July 14.
“We have got what we have wanted. We can understand organising a tour game is difficult at this stage,”
a source in the Indian cricket team revealed.