Alastair Cook named in the England Lions side to face India A ahead of Test series

As many as five members of the England Test team that is likely to face India in the five-match Test series that gets underway next way were included in the England Lions squad to take on India A in a four-day match starting on July 16 in Worcester. The list includes former England captain Alastair Cook, batsman Dawid Malan, fast-bowling all-rounders Chris Woakes and Sam Curran and spinner Dom Bess.

Warwickshire all-rounder Woakes, who is currently recovering from a right quad and knee injury, will take the field as a part of his rehabilitation program. Bess made his debut against Pakistan and showed some glimpses of what he is capable of doing. Cook and Malan have been struggling for runs at the top level of late and this match will give them a good opportunity to hone their skills and get some crucial game time before they take on the number 1 Test side in Edgbaston from August 1.

With the match set to get underway on July 16, Sam Curran might not get to play if he gets picked in the national squad for the third ODI between both these teams in Leeds on 17th of this month. The selectors are yet to announce the squad for the third ODI and if he is named in the Poms side, a replacement will be named for him before the start of the four-day game.

This is a great opportunity for players like Jamie Porter, Jack Leach, Rory Burns, Nick Gubbins etc.as they will be taking on some world-class players in the India A side which include the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Ankit Rajpoot, Navdeep Saini etc.

England Lions side versus India A: Alastair Cook (Essex), Rory Burns (Surrey), Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Dom Bess (Somerset), Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Jack Leach (Somerset) and Jamie Porter (Essex).