Abhimanyu Easwaran to lead India A as squad for warmup fixture and 1st game vs England Lions announced

Bengal's Abhimanyu Easwaran has been named captain of the India A squad to face the England Lions in a two-day warmup fixture as well as the first unofficial four-day Test, with both games to be played in January.

The selectors named a 13-member squad for the two games, with most players retaining their spot from the contingent that toured South Africa for the shadow A series that ran in parallel with the senior team's tour.

The major names missing from the revised squad that was named for the second game against South Africa A are Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Tilak Varma, Avesh Khan, and Rinku Singh. All of them will likely feature in India's three-match T20I series against Afghanistan starting January 11, while the two-day warmup fixture between India and England Lions commences on January 12.

Services off-spinner Pulkit Narang has been included while KS Bharat, who was the reserve wicketkeeper for the Tests in South Africa also finds himself in the mix.

India A squad for two-day warmup fixture and first unofficial Test against England: Abhimanyu Easwaran (captain), B Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, KS Bharat (wk), Manav Suthar, Pulkit Narang, Navdeep Saini, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Akash Deep.

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Abhimanyu Easwaran was India's backup opener for the South Africa Tests

With a stellar first-class record behind him, Easwaran has often come close to an India cap without making his debut yet. He was selected in India's squad for the recently concluded Tests in South Africa after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out with a finger injury.

Having remained an understudy to skipper Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, the right-handed opener didn't get a game in the Tests. He will look to press for a stronger case should India need a third opener with a five-match Test series against England beginning on January 25 and runs against the Lions will aid his cause.

India A and England Lions are set to play three unofficial four-day Tests after the two-day warmup fixture although the squads for the last two games haven't been announced yet.

While the warmup fixture will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium 'B' Ground in Ahmedabad on January 12, the three unofficial Tests will take place at the main stadium, the first of which begins on January 17.

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