Abhimanyu Easwaran to Lead India A on England Tour; Jurel Named Deputy

India A is set to tour England for a two-match first-class series against England A, with opener Abhimanyu Easwaran named captain of the 18-member squad. Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel will serve as vice-captain. The tour, beginning May 30, 2025, in Canterbury, will see several promising and experienced names take the field, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shardul Thakur, and Karun Nair. Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan will join the squad ahead of the second fixture, which begins on June 6 in Northampton.

The squad includes two wicketkeeper-batters—Jurel and Ishan Kishan—both of whom featured in India A's unofficial Tests in Australia earlier in the 2024-25 season. Kishan played the first match, while Jurel took over in the second.

India A has a wealth of fast-bowling options at their disposal for this tour. Alongside Thakur, the pace attack includes Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar Deshpande, and allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. In the spin department, left-armers Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey, along with offspinner Tanush Kotian, offer variety and depth.

The tour marks a significant opportunity for Karun Nair, who last played Test cricket in 2017. The 33-year-old has been in prolific form domestically, amassing 863 runs for Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha in the 2024-25 season. His consistency also extended to county cricket in England, where he scored 736 runs at an average of 56.61 over two seasons for Northamptonshire, including a double-century against Glamorgan.

Following the England A matches, India A will also play a four-day fixture against the senior Indian side from June 13, providing a valuable preparatory platform for both squads.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.