India A vs England Lions

‘Not good enough for Test debut’: Abhimanyu Easwaran flops again for India A; internet reacts | Cricket News

Danijones12 hours ago03 mins

Abhimanyu Easwaran of India A (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images) NEW DELHI: India A’s second unofficial Test against England Lions in Northampton began with a rocky start, as top-order batters failed to deliver under early pressure. The focus of criticism was once again on skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran, whose struggles with form continued in the spotlight.Winning the toss and electing to field, England Lions skipper James Rew made the right call, with seamer Chris Woakes making an instant impact. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India A openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul began cautiously, trying to negotiate the movement early on. The duo stitched together a slow but steady 28-run opening stand before Jaiswal was trapped lbw by Woakes for 17.Easwaran, walking in at No. 3, was expected to steady the innings, but he faltered again, falling to Woakes for just 11 runs off 13 balls, despite hitting a couple of boundaries. His early dismissal added fuel to the ongoing debate over his readiness for international cricket, with fans and critics alike pointing to his inconsistent red-ball performances.Coming off a commanding double-century in the previous game, Karun Nair looked confident at the crease. Alongside a patient KL Rahul, he began the rebuilding process. The duo guided India A to 75/2 at lunch, forming a 35-run stand.By the end of 62 overs, India A had clawed their way to 253/5, thanks largely to a stunning century by KL Rahul, who scored a dominant 116 off 168 balls, and a steady contribution of 52 from Dhruv Jurel. Nair, however, couldn’t capitalise on his start and was dismissed for 40. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy Despite the decent recovery, the narrative remained focused on Easwaran’s repeated failures at a crucial No. 3 position—a role that demands consistency and temperament, especially in the longer format. With selectors keeping a close watch, his latest outing will do little to bolster his case for national selection.

Class act! KL Rahul smashes century vs England Lions in second Unofficial Test; India A in command | Cricket News

Danijones13 hours ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: KL Rahul stormed back into form with a sublime century on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against England Lions in Northampton on Friday. Put into bat first, India A tweaked their playing XI from the previous game, promoting Rahul to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, while skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran moved down to No. 3. But Chris Woakes struck early, removing Jaiswal (17) and Easwaran (11) cheaply, leaving Rahul to steady the innings.Rahul combined caution with well-timed aggression as he expertly built his innings. He reached his hundred in the 56th over and went on to score 116 off 168 balls, laced with 15 fours and a six — a classy knock that couldn’t have come at a better time, with the five-Test series against England starting June 20 at Headingley.Since making his Test debut at the MCG in 2014, Rahul has played 58 Tests for India, scoring 3,257 runs at an average of 33.57. Among the current Indian squad touring England, he remains one of the most seasoned in English conditions. In nine Tests there, he has tallied 614 runs at 34.11, including two centuries and a fifty, with a best of 149.At the other end, Dhruv Jurel extended his fine run of form. After scores of 94 and 53* in the first unofficial Test, the young wicketkeeper-batter compiled a gritty 52 off 87 balls. His 121-run partnership with Rahul helped revive India A’s innings after the early blows. Huge prediction! KL Rahul would play in place of Rishabh Pant in 2026 T20 World Cup Jurel’s stay ended when George Hill bowled him through the gate. Hill then got rid of Rahul as well, with Emilio Gay taking the catch to end the centurion’s superb knock — one that earned generous applause from the Northampton crowd.India’s Test Series Schedule vs England:1st Test: June 20–24, 2025 – Headingley, Leeds2nd Test: July 2–6, 2025 – Edgbaston, Birmingham3rd Test: July 10–14, 2025 – Lord’s, London4th Test: July 23–27, 2025 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester5th Test: July 31–August 4, 2025 – Kia Oval, London Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy

Official: Opposition playing into Pakistans hands on ceasefire

KL Rahul’s red-ball return in focus in final unofficial Test vs England Lions

Danijones1 day ago07 mins

KL Rahul will mark his return to red-ball cricket for the first time in several months when India A take on the England Lions in the second and final unofficial Test, starting Friday in Northampton. Rahul couldn’t quite steer his Indian Premier League (IPL) side, Delhi Capitals, into the playoffs this season. DC finished a narrow fifth — just one spot adrift of the knockouts — leaving players and fans alike to reflect on the many ‘what-if’ moments that shaped their campaign. Having scored 539 runs in 13 IPL innings, Rahul has now shifted his focus to red-ball cricket ahead of the five-match Test series in England. The Indian batter had reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his availability for the India A tour, expressing his desire to feature in the second unofficial Test against the England Lions. The experienced batter missed the first four-day game in Canterbury on May 30, where Indian batters took advantage of an easy pitch. But the 32-year-old was eager to play in the second match in Northampton. With the senior India squad set to depart for England later this week, Rahul’s early arrival and involvement with the A side underlines his intent to gain valuable red-ball game time ahead of the Test series starting on 20 June. Rahul, who last played a red-ball match in January during the Australia tour, now has a chance to find his form again against strong opposition in England — a place where he has scored two Test centuries before. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired, Rahul is the most experienced batter in the squad and will be keen to push for a spot in the top order. Though his Test average stands at a modest 33.57 from 58 matches, much of Rahul’s success in the format has come as an opener. Whether he continues at the top or is deployed in the middle order remains to be seen. “I grew up watching Test cricket. I grew up watching you guys play for England. I used to wake up at five in the morning and watch Test cricket in Australia with my father. He loved watching cricket as well,” Rahul said in an earlier interview. Karun Nair, who scored a double century in the first match at Canterbury that ended in a draw, has clearly shown he deserves a spot in the middle order. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran scored fluent fifties in the second innings to increase the competition for the top order. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan, who didn’t feature in the first game, are also expected to be given a chance to bat in the second fixture. Among the bowlers, pacer Akash Deep is expected to play after missing the Canterbury match. Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy are competing for the fast bowling all-rounder spot in the Indian Test side. Both played at Canterbury, but Thakur bowled more. Reddy, meanwhile, missed most of the IPL due to fitness issues and bowled less. If the pitch is another flat surface, it may not provide ideal preparation for Rahul and the team ahead of tougher challenges. In the England Lions camp, the spotlight will be on Josh Tongue and Chris Woakes, both of whom have been named in England’s squad for the first Test. With frontline quicks Mark Wood and Jofra Archer doubtful and Gus Atkinson ruled out of the series opener, England’s fast-bowling resources are under pressure. However, pitch conditions may once again shape the contest. If Northampton serves up a surface as flat as Canterbury’s, it may not offer ideal preparation for Rahul and company ahead of what promises to be a far more demanding series. The England series is India’s first since the retirements of Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, and Virat Kohli from Test cricket. The five Tests against England will be India’s first in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. They will play the first Test at Headingley (starting June 20), followed by the second at Edgbaston (from July 2), the third at Lord’s (from July 10), the fourth at Old Trafford (from July 23), and the final Test at The Oval (from July 31). India will begin the tour with a four-day match against India A at Beckenham, on the outskirts of London, scheduled from June 13 to 16. Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: Jun 6, 2025