KL Rahul’s red-ball return: India vs England Lions crucial for test preparation

As the Indian Test squad prepares for a high-profile five-match series against England from June 20, everyone looks towards KL Rahul, who comes back to red-ball cricket after a long hiatus. The second and last unofficial Test between India A and England Lions, starting this Friday, is a crucial chance for fringe players and comeback stars to earn their spots in the senior team.

Rahul starts early training in England

As the majority of India is braving the monsoon, KL Rahul has already arrived in the UK to hone his red-ball craft. Familiar for his gritty efforts in English conditions at two centuries Rahul is now the most seasoned batter in the team with the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the format.

Though his overall Test average is around 33.57 after playing 58 games, Rahul has been promising at the top consistently. Yet, with new team dynamics, it is uncertain if he'll pick up where he left off as an opener or fall to the middle order.

Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan Miss India a match

India A will miss the services of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, who were busy with their IPL commitments and couldn't play in the unofficial Tests. They will get red-ball exposure only in intra-squad games after they report to the main team in the UK.

In the meantime, six members of the Test team played in the first unofficial Test, which was a run-fest. The lack of a competitive pitch raised questions about match-readiness for what lies ahead.

Karun Nair's revival, middle-order options wide open

Players like Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran impressed with some impressive knocks in the tour game. Nair in particular was mesmerizing with a double hundred and made a seamless transition from white-ball to red-ball cricket. His name might again come up for a middle-order choice in the Leeds Test.

With the top three of Jaiswal, Easwaran, and Nair performing well, India A can now consider trying out Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, and Rahul in the middle order. Rahul specifically would want to get the best out of his two innings to find rhythm.

Bowling focus: Akash Deep returns, all-rounder battle on

India A is expected to feature Akash Deep, rested for the inaugural match. The battle between Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy for pace all-rounder's position still rages on. Although Thakur was busier in Canterbury, Reddy's dearth of bowling in IPL because of fitness issues could work against him.

Flat pitches a cause for concern

If yet another gentle pitch is rolled out, it may be more detrimental than beneficial to India's Test preparation. With the England series being infamous for its seaming, swinging pitches, a flat pitch would be lacking in presenting a realistic challenge.

England Lions eyeing main squad call-ups

Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue from the England Lions camp will seek to put their claims forward with injured quicks Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and potentially Gus Atkinson ruled out. But three players Dan Mousley, Zaman Akhter, and Henry Crocombe have been released by the Lions to resume T20 Blast responsibilities.

India a squad overview

• Captain: Abhimanyu Easwaran
• Vice-Captain: Dhruv Jurel
• Key Players: KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shardul Thakur, Nitish Reddy
• Key Bowlers: Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana