Tour blog - When King Charles III met Team India

It has been a slow start for the Young Lions Invitational XI, who have reached 52 for 1 after ten overs in their chase of a mammoth 445. Yudhajit Guha picked the first and only wicket to fall so far, that of opener JI Hope-Bell. Will Bennison, the captain and Owen Smith have since steadied the innings, with a fifty-plus run stand for the second wicket. Lions, however, still have a long way to go.

Harleen Deol has looked positive from the time she walked in. She crossed her fifty in good time and has been regularly dealing in boundaries. Yastika Bhatia has also started well as the two take their stand close to the 100 mark. As things stand, Deol is unbeaten on 69 off 59 balls, with 11 fours and a six. Bhatia has meanwhile struck three fours in her 32.

Mahika Gaur has struck early, getting rid of India opener Smriti Mandhana with just her second ball as India begin their chase of 354. Ryana Macdonald-Gay then sends back Shafali Verma for 16. Harleen Deol, though, has made a positive start to her innings already stroking nine fours in her 40. She has Yastika Bhatia with her.

50 overs India U-19 444 for 9 (Harvansh 103*, Chouhan 79, Rahul 75, Lumsden 4-102, Firbank 3-66) vs Young Lions Invitational XI

Harvansh Singh Pangalia smashed an unbeaten 103 off just 52 balls, with eight fours and nine sixes, coming in at No. 9 as India Under-19 amassed 444 for 9 against Young Lions Invitational XI in Loughborough.

It was an innings of two halves. The first part where the Young Lions side dominated and the second where the India Under-19s counterattacked and how! Matthew Firbank and Manny Lumsden had the visitors on the mat early with the likes of Ayush Mhatre, the captain, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi falling cheaply. India U-19 were reduced to 91 for 5 in the 13th over.

But the hosts were in no mood to defend. Rahul Kumar (75 off 63) and Kanishk Chouhan (79 off 64) launched a counterattack, adding 142 runs for the sixth wicket with both batters smashing five sixes each. Once that stand was broken in the 31st over, Pangalia and RS Ambrish (72 off 47) took over. They added a 126-run stand off just 64 balls for the eighth wicket.

Pangalia ended on a high, going 4, 6, 6, 6 to bring up his century. For the hosts, Lumsden took four wickets but went for 102 in his ten overs, while Firbank finished with 3 for 66.

50 overs ECB Women Development XI 353 for 5 (Bouchier 104, Lamb 94, Shree Charani 3-71) vs India Women

Maia Bouchier's 84-ball 104 and Emma Lamb's 94 helped ECB Women Development XI amass 353 for 5 in their 50 overs against India Women in Beckenham. Bouchier struck 16 fours in her knock while Lamb smashed 15 as the hosts sailed through. Alice Davidson-Richards (42), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (34) and Paige Scholfield (34) also scored useful runs in the backend of the innings to take ECB past the 350 mark.

Lamb and Bouchier had earlier added 196 runs for the opening wicket in just 28.6 overs. For India, Shree Charani was the most successful bowler with 3 for 71 in her nine overs. Amanjot Kaur went for 56 runs off her six overs, while Sneh Rana picked one wicket in her seven overs, going for 47 runs. Kranti Goud conceded 40 runs in her five overs without success, while Radha Yadav went for 61 runs in her nine overs, picking one wicket.

In Loughborough, India U-19s are playing a warm-up fixture against Young Lions Invitational XI. The visitors had found themselves in early strife with Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, fresh from their IPL stints, falling cheaply. The India U-19 boys were reduced to 91 for 5 in the 13th over, but Rahul Kumar and Kanishk Chouhan enforced a stunning counterattack. The duo added 142 runs for the sixth wicket off just 111 runs to help India storm back.

Left-arm spinner Shree Charani finally has some success, but it's all been about the ECB Women Development XI this morning. India got their first success only in the 29th over, with the score on 196 when Charani sent back Emma Lamb for 94. Bouchier, meanwhile, completed her century and retired on 104 off 84 balls, her innings studded with 16 fours. Hollie Armitage was then dismissed hit-wicket by Charani on 2.

Ahead of their eight-match white-ball tour of England, India Women have two warm-up games - a fifty-over game today and a T20 tomorrow - against ECB Select XI.

From the looks of it, a testing start for India today as ECB Select XI openers have settled in for the long haul. Emma Lamb and Maia Bouchier, both of whom have played for England, have crossed fifties and their opening partnership has gone past 150. India have used four seamers - Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud, Amanjot Kaur and Sayali Satghare - and three spinners in Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav and N Shree Charani. So far, Radha has conceded 27 in her three overs.

ECB Select XI are 153 for 0 in 24 overs

India Women are set to play five T20Is and three ODIs against England starting next week. And they have assembled Beckenham for a few training sessions. On the first day of training on June 21, head coach Amol Muzumdar had a fun six-hitting session for the players divided into three groups of five each. Who hit the longest six of them all? The name won't take you by surprise.

England might have Mark Wood back in action for the fifth Test against India. He suffered a knee injury during the Champions Trophy earlier this year and underwent surgery in March. He is now set to make a comeback to competitive cricket in the County Championship at the end of July and could have a shot at playing the Oval Test that starts July 31.

England have often had James Anderson and Stuart Broad sharing the new ball in Test cricket. This is their first home series against India following the retirements of the two stalwarts. In what is an untried fast bowling attack, Brydon Carse has been confirmed to take the new ball for England. This will be his first Test at home, just his sixth match in red-ball international cricket. He will share the new ball with Chris Woakes. It is an unfamiliar role for Carse, who are mostly bowled first-change.

India went away from a regular formula in their last Test series - against Australia in Australia. They only played with three fast bowlers with Nitish Kumar Reddy serving as the additional seam option aside from a spinner. Ahead of his first series as India's new Test captain, Shubhman Gill hinted at going back to a formula that served them well - playing four fast bowlers and aiming to pick up 20 wickets. Shardul Thakur's presence could give Gill the bowling allrounder he would need, as opposed to Reddy, who is a batting allrounder.

Sachin Tendulkar has an advice for Shubman Gill. That he should shut the outside noise. "His captaincy, whether Shubman is being aggressive, or defensive, or attacking enough, or not a proactive captain, or active captain - whatever that opinion is, it's only an opinion and it's from outside," he said.

Sruthi Ravindranath spoke to her childhood hero about the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Since Ben Stokes took over from Joe Root as captain, England have lost 12 and won 23 Tests. They have scored at a quicker rate and have achieved some stunning run-chases. Yet, they finished fifth in the previous WTC cycle. Ahead of the start of a new cycle, the message from Stokes to England is clear: "It's about winning."

India's vice-captain Rishabh Pant has confirmed Shubman Gill will take the No. 4 position vacated by Virat Kohli. Pant said India are still deliberating over who will move to No. 3, the slot last occupied by Gill, who is the new captain after Rohit Sharma's retirement.

The options for No. 3 seem to be the returning Karun Nair and the uncapped B Sai Sudharsan, who is rated highly by experts. There might be room for both of them in the XI as India need to slot in another specialist batter after Pant at No. 5.

It will be Ollie Pope, rather than Jacob Bethell, who bats at No. 3 for England against India in Friday's first Test at Headingley.

England confirmed their team for the first Test on Wednesday, with Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes set to open the bowling after missing last month's win over Zimbabwe through injuries. Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir retain their positions, with Gus Atkinson still recovering from a hamstring injury, while captain Stokes completes the attack.

Rob Key insists that England's selection call between Jacob Bethell and Ollie Pope will not define either player's career ahead of Friday's first Test against India.

"I don't see it as a problem, really," Key told the Telegraph's cricket podcast. "You win either way, really. You've got two brilliant players that can do that role. Ollie Pope's been fantastic in that tough spot; he played brilliantly in New Zealand… alright, he was in a different role, but we've got two brilliant options in those spots.

"A tough decision is when you've got no options, and you've got to just then try and find something from nowhere."

Dry Leeds to bring batters respite? It's not often that Headingley gets the first Test of the series in England. Headingley usually hosts a Test much later in the summer, usually the third of the series. Add to it that there has hardly been any rain in Leeds since February. So Richard Robinson, Yorkshire's head of grounds, has had to carry out a "different kind" of preparation for the Test.

Here's all you need to know about the expected conditions at Headingley, written by Sidharth Monga.

Jasprit Bumrah has said that he didn't want to become India's Test captain because of workload management and that he had communicated the same to the BCCI, who were looking at him as a leadership candidate at the time.

"There's no fancy stories to it [captaincy]," Bumrah told Sky Sports during an interview with Dinesh Karthik. "There is no controversy or there's no headlining statements that I was sacked or I was not looked after. Before Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) retired during the IPL, I had spoken to BCCI that I have discussed about my workloads going forward in a five Test-match series."

Fast bowler Harshit Rana has been added to the India Test squad as cover for the upcoming Test series against England. Rana traveled with the India A squad and played the first four-day game in Centerbury against England Lions. He bowled 27 overs and finished with figures of 1 for 99.

Rana had made his international debut in the first Test against Australia in Perth last November. He impressed with the ball in his first game, picking up 3 for 48 in the first innings and 1 for 69 in the second to help India win the match. He also played the second Test but went wicketless.

Rana can also contribute with the bat lower down the order. He has scored two fifties and a century in 18 first-class innings.

Jos Buttler played under Shubman Gill's captaincy at Gujarat Titans in the IPL this year. Speaking on For the Love of Cricket, his new podcast with Stuart Broad, Buttler said that Gill would be "his own man" while combining the best traits of his two predecessors.

"He [Gill] is a really impressive player and an impressive young man," he said. "He's pretty calm and measured when he speaks, but [it's] interesting, I feel like on the field he's got a bit of fight about him; a bit of intensity, quite passionate. I think he'll be a mix of [Virat] Kohli and Rohit [Sharma]."

Deepesh Devendran and Naman Pushpak have replaced Aditya Rana and Khilan Patel for the upcoming India U19 tour of England.

Aditya sustained a stress fracture in his lower back, while Khilan suffered a stress reaction in his right leg during the high-performance camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Deepesh and Naman were part of the standby players’ list for the tour.

A tour game will begin proceedings on June 24 with the first five Youth ODIs beginning on June 27. Two Youth Tests will follow between June 12 and 20 to end the tour.

Updated India U19 Squad: Ayush Mhatre (Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (Vice-Captain & WK), Harvansh Singh (WK), R. S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohammed Enaan, Anmoljeet Singh, D. Deepesh, Naman Pushpak

India head coach Gautam Gambhir will be back with the team in Leeds by Tuesday, ESPNcricinfo has learnt. Gambhir had flown back home, to Delhi, on June 11 after his mother was hospitalised, but it is understood that her health has improved since.

India's bowlers got some overs under their belt on day 3 of the intra-squad match between India and India A at Beckenham. If you are wondering what players look to achieve from such games, here's what Kuldeep Yadav said: "We've played a lot of T20 in the last four-five months, so volume is very important, and all the bowlers are instructed to bowl as many overs [in practice as they would in a match]: the fast bowlers will bowl at least 15 to 20 overs so they can build up fully for the Test match, and it's the same for the spinners - the more they bowl, the better it will be."

The senior India team is playing a four-day, intra-squad game against India A in Beckenham. On the first day (June 13), Shubman Gill, in his first hit in England, and KL Rahul scored half-centuries, and Shardul Thakur was among the bowlers to get some wickets. Rahul and Thakur were part of the India A side that played two first-class matches against England Lions last week. But for a lot of players in the Test side, including Gill and Prasidh Krishna, the intra-squad game is their way back into red-ball cricket following a long IPL 2025.

"It's really important for all of us to get this game time, because some of them are coming from the 'A' game and getting some time on the field is really, really important," Prasidh, the Purple Cap winner in IPL 2025, told bcci.tv. "That's what we are going about today as well. It looks like a good, nice, hard pitch. Bowlers have been in the game all throughout, have been bowling some really good spells. Batsmen also showing some character."

Prasidh played only one Test on India's tour of Australia and returned three wickets apiece in both innings. With Jasprit Bumrah unlikely to play all games, Prasidh could be one of the regulars in India's pace attack for the five Tests against England.

"It's always good when you are competing against each other as well. All of us are excited and enjoying what's happening," Prasidh said of the Indians opting to play an intra-squad match. "All of us are getting together after a while, so a lot of memories, a lot of cricket each one has played with different teams and, coming here, I have spent a lot of time here, so just make sure you try and keep the environment light and also make sure you focus when your chance is coming.

"But it's fun to have some fun people around, and you can't really be focused for a really long time, especially when you're sitting outside, so you make sure you have your bit of fun and when you know you know, you can sense situations, you make sure you support your team in particular situations, make sure you be switched on, because anything can happen in the game, that's the beauty of cricket.

"But yeah, all of us are experienced enough to know when to switch on and switch off."

KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill scored half-centuries on the first day of the four-day intra-squad tour game - the last leg of India's prep for the England series - which took place behind closed doors in Beckenham. BCCI posted on X that Shardul Thakur was among the wickets.

Rahul has been in good touch heading into the series, having also scored 116 and 51 for India A in the four-day match against England Lions.

England have recalled leading spinner Sophie Ecclestone for five women's T20Is against India. Ecclestone is currently on a break from cricket to prioritise her wellbeing but is set to be involved in the series starting on June 28.

Before India face England in the first Test from June 20, they will be warming-up by playing India A in a tour game in Beckenham from June 13. Talking about India's training sessions so far, bowling coach Morne Morkel told bcci.tv, "We've got a great variety in our attack of guys with different skill sets. So, you know, can they do that and still execute the basics very well.

"All in all, very happy with the start so far. I was a little bit nervous in terms of the lack of red-ball [cricket] we've played, but seeing how the guys are moving around and training the last three days, it's a pleasing sight. There's some quality energy in this group and, you know, that's what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident, you need to have that team spirit in the group and I think so far they have done a great job."

Click here for the full story.

India's Test squad in England will be without head coach Gautam Gambhir for the start of the closed-door warm-up fixture against India A in Beckenham from Friday. ESPNcricinfo has learnt Gambhir left for New Delhi on Wednesday due to a family emergency.

In Gambhir's absence, Sitanshu Kotak and Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coaches, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel, will take charge of the group. Hrishikesh Kanitkar, meanwhile, is in charge of India A.

Gambhir's absence comes at a crucial time, with the team management set to deliberate on the batting order, something he had said would be decided in the run-up to the first Test. The retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have opened up at least two slots, with B Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the running to fill them.

Click here for the full story.

Karun Nair feels "very grateful and fortunate" to have another shot at Test cricket, eight years after he last played in the format.

"Feels really special," Nair told BCCI.tv. "[I'm] Very grateful and fortunate to be able to get this opportunity again. Looking forward to grabbing this opportunity with both hands."

Wednesday marked Nair's return to the Indian dressing room for the first time since the summer of 2018, when he spent the entire five-match series in England on the bench.

A left-shin injury has ruled Shuchi Upadhyay out of the tour. Radha Yadav is the like-for-like replacement.

Radha last played an international match in December 2024. However, she was overlooked for the ODI series against WI that followed. Before that series, she was the highest wicket-taker in the one-dayers against New Zealand at home.

India will take on England Women in five T20Is, followed by three ODIs, starting June 28.

"Bumrah knows how to get himself ready, he knows how to prepare," Morkel said on Wednesday. "I was blown away to see the energy on the ball the last three days. That's very exciting to see. I'm happy his body is in good shape at the moment.

"We'll manage him with that. We'll be smart with him because he's obviously key for us, but in terms of the first three net sessions, lot to be excited watching him bowl with the Dukes ball."

Anshul Kamboj suddenly gives India A hopes of sneaking a victory as he removes Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox in an over. He first has Gay nicking behind, bowling from around the wicket, before going over the wicket to the right-handed Cox and getting the ball to beat the outside edge and hitting off stump. England Lions 26 for 3 after that double-strike.

India A declared during the tea break and England Lions openers Tom Haines and Ben McKinney have come out to start the final session. Lions have been set a target of 439. Khaleel Ahmed and Tushar Deshpande open the bowling for India A.

He gets there off 83 balls! It's been a fine innings from the seam bowling allrounder. With England Lions rotating part-time bowlers, Kamboj has given good support to Tanush Kotian, who has been racing towards a century. He has taken on short balls and gone after overpitched deliveries. A six down the ground off Tom Haines was probably the highlight of his knock so far. And India A go to tea a 417 for 7, with Kotian unbeaten on 90 and Kamboj on 51. It's been a wicketless session in Northampton!

After Anshul Kamboj puts Eddie Jack away behind square leg, Tanush Kotian ramps him over the slips cordon before then steering George Hill through third for another boundary. Then, Hill goes short and down leg and Kamboj manages to get some bat on it on the pull as the ball trickles away to the boundary. Next over, Kotian pulls another wayward short ball through fine leg for another boundary.

The 100-partnership comes up between these two, with the lead one short of 400.

A boundary off a no ball from part-timer Ben McKinney brings up a 16th first class half-century for Tanush Kotian as India A's lead swells past 350.

Kotian and Anshul Kamboj brought up a fifty stand not too long after lunch. It looks like they are going to bat on for as long as they can, with no signs of a declaration.

While India A take on England Lions, the senior side is in Beckhenham, training away. And here's a glimpse of Rishabh Pant doing his thing!

Tanush Kotian and Anshul Kamboj start the second session with a flurry of boundaries. First, Kamboj flicks Hill through midwicket before Kotian gets back-to-back boundaries off Farhan Ahmed, who has now gone for more than 100 in the innings without a wicket. Kamboj keeps attacking Hill, lofting him down the ground before slicing him over cover point for consecutive boundaries.

The lead has quickly moved to 320. Surely the declaration can't be far away?

Lunch India A 348 and 268 for 7 (Reddy 42, Thakur 34, Hill 3-39) lead England Lions 327 by 289 runs

Shardul Thakur helped India A accelerate towards the end of the morning session on the final day of the second unofficial Test against England Lions, but fell on the stroke of lunch at Northampton as George Hill picked up his second wicket after being brought into the attack late in the session.

Thakur hit two sixes off offspinner Farhan Ahmed, and cut Eddie Jack for four as India A sped up their scoring and their lead reached 289 when Thakur tried to drive Hill down the ground. He played down the wrong line, however, and heard the death rattle.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Dhruv Jurel started the session watchfully, especially with the ball till seaming around. Josh Tongue nearly struck the first blow with a length ball just outside off that seamed away and bounced sharply to take Reddy's outside edge, but the chance was dropped at slip.

But Lions did not have to wait for too long for the breakthrough, as Eddie Jack drew Jurel's outside edge. James Rew made no mistakes this time behind the stumps.

India A then started to accelerate, with Reddy and Thakur targeting Farhan for their big shots. However, a change in bowling paid dividends with Hill dislodging Reddy's middle stump with a ball that seamed in from outside off.

That didn't slow India A down, with new batter Tanush Kotian barely settling in before hoicking Tongue over midwicket for six, with lunch not far away.

India A will likely take their lead past 300 and then have a crack at the Lions.

India A are looking to get a move on. First, Nitish Kumar Reddy hits Farhan Ahmed down the ground for a boundary before Shardul Thakur cuts a short ball from Eddie Jack through point for another. Next over, Reddy slog-sweeps Farhan over midwicket for a six, taking the lead above 250. Next ball, they get four bonus runs thanks to an overthrow, as Reddy quickly moves to 39.

Thakur then takes the attack to Farhan, lofting him for two sixes down the ground. Both balls were overpitched and he just had to clear his front leg and club the ball back over the bowler.

Eddie Jack, who beat Nitish Kumar Reddy's bat a couple of times in his previous over gets the first breakthrough of the day as he gets a length ball outside off to nip away. Dhruv Jurel has to play at it, with the angle meaning his stumps were threatened, and gets a thick edge. James Rew dives to his right and takes a good catch. This is the first time Jurel has been dismissed before making a half-century on this tour.

The new batter Shardul Thakur is greeted by a yorker just around off that tails away late but Thakur is able to squeeze it out.

A length ball from Josh Tongue rises sharply and takes the shoulder of Nitish Kumar Reddy's blade and the ball goes to first slip, where Tom Haines shells a regulation chance that arrived at his midriff. The over also sees an lbw appeal against Dhruv Jurel turned down.

Jurel responds by greeting an overpitched delivery outside off with a gentle push through the covers for a boundary that takes him to 27.

We're minutes away from getting underway for the final day of the 2nd unofficial Test. India A well placed on the back of yesterday's fifties from Rahul and Easwaran at 163/4. England Lions, 184 behind, need a flurry of wickets this morning to try and chase a target down. We could be in for some aggressive cricket today once the ball eases out after the first half hour. Surely both sides wouldn't want their second Test to end in a draw too?

Anyway, Woakes - who picked up two wickets late yesterday - opens the bowling for the 34th over of the innings. Jurel on 6, Reddy on 1.

"It looks as good as it has done for the entire day," say the on-air commentators, puzzled, as the players make their way off. Looks like light has once again come into play and India A have declined the offer to use light. This looks much brighter than when they went off previously. India A are 164 for 3, a lead by 184. Looks like they want to eke out a result from this contest, going by the way they have batted so far. The weather forecast is quite clear for tomorrow, the last day of the match in Northampton. Should be a cracker.

Click here for a detailed summary of the day's play.

Chris Woakes at it again. The sun is shining bright all right, but it is the fag end of the day's play. Yet, there was no sign of Abhimanyu Easwaran shutting shop. He was fluent with his drives, especially after his fifty. He scored 29 from the 24 balls since his half-century. But he couldn't keep out Woakes, who probed in the channel outside off and got the outside edge. India A 160 for 4, lead by 181.

The players are back on. We have 42 minutes of play left in the day, 27 overs to be bowled. It is quite bright out there, sun shining bright.

Just as Chris Woakes approached the bowling crease, Dhruv Jurel pulled off. It was just the second ball he would have faced. The light was deteriorating and Abhimanyu Easwaran and Jurel seemed to suggest to the umpires that it was not easy to spot the ball. And so, off they go. There's still about an hour left, in case light improves but for now, the game hits another pause.

A new spell. A new end. A drinks interval. All of it worked for Chris Woakes, who struck on the fourth ball of the new spell. He bowled it on a length around off, Karun Nair was standing outside his crease with his weight going forward. Looked to defend but was squared up and edged it to second slip. India A 137 for 3, lead by 158

Second fifty of the tour for India A captain Abhimanyu Easwaran. He got there off the 68th ball. He has looked in good rhythm today after getting off the mark off his 15th delivery. He has put away anything on leg and middle through midwicket. He has taken a liking to Eddie Jack, scoring 23 off the 24 balls he has faced from the tall fast bowler.

KL Rahul completed his second fifty-plus score of the game with a shot that has been frequent today - the back-foot punch through backward point. Eddie Jack bowled one on a good length just outside off, Rahul went back to punch it with an open bat face. It's a shot he played twice against Josh Tongue, too, for fours. The half-century came at a good pace for him - 61 balls. But a few deliveries later, Jack managed to use his tall frame to his advantage. He dug one in and angled it into Rahul, who went for the pull. But the ball got big on him and he miscued it towards deep mid-on for 51 off 64. India A 99 for 2, a lead of 120.

Josh Tongue has hobbled off the field after his fourth over in the second innings at Northampton. He bowled his four overs for 27 after coming on as first-change. He struggled for control, with KL Rahul particularly hitting him for three overs in the spell. Tongue's injury, the seriousness of which is unknown, could be a minor concern for England. He has been named in the squad for the first Test against India, and alongside Chris Woakes, was added to the England Lions squad after he played the one-off four-day Test between England and Zimbabwe.

One punch after another after another. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who came in at No. 3 after Jaiswal departed early, got off the mark off his 15th delivery after being happy to leave the ball outside off. But three punches off Josh Tongue in the eighth over help him bag two boundaries, and then another three runs. The first went through cover point, the next towards point, and the third through extra cover. India A 31 for 1 after eight overs, with the lead at 52.

England Lions' new-ball bowlers Chris Woakes and George Hill kept Yashasvi Jaiswal guessing. They got the ball to move around as the India A opener was watchful. He got his first boundary in the opening over, when he opened the bat face to guide a Woakes ball through third. In the fourth over, though, Jaiswal's tentativeness cost him. Hill got a fullish ball to angle away and move away ever-so slightly. Jaiswal prodded forward to block but only managed a tickle behind. Jaiswal has 5 to go with his 17 in the first innings. India A 11 for 1.

Anshul Kamboj's hard work finally pays off. He lands a delivery on a length around off from around the stumps, gets it to nip away sharply past Eddie Jack's bat to take his off stump. The last-wicket pair for Lions stayed put for 84 balls, the third-longest partnership for them. The last two wickets defied the bowlers for a total of 161 balls. India A take a 21-run lead. That will also be tea. Worryingly for India A, though, their bowlers bowled 21 no-balls in the innings. Shardul Thakur topped the count with seven while Kamboj and Khaleel Ahmed followed with six each.

Josh Tongue and Eddie Jack have now stayed in the middle for over ten overs. In this period, all four of India A fast bowlers have had a go. Khaleel Ahmed worked hard to search for his fifth wicket. Nitish Kumar Reddy tried to build on his one wicket before the bad light stoppage. Shardul Thakur belted out a few lbw appeals only to be denied. Anshul Kamboj beat the outside edge a few times but with little success. Lions are 320 for 9, only trail by 28

India A captain Abhimanyu Easwaran wanted to bring back Khaleel Ahmed after England Lions lost their ninth wicket. Khaleel has four wickets in his kitty thus far. But the umpires seem to have told Abhimanyu that he could only bowl spin, because the light had faded. It had gone dark, the wind had picked up and the floodlights were switched on. So Tanush Kotian continued his spell. But two balls into the over, the players had to be taken off for bad lights. It looks quite ominous in Northampton - dark clouds, low light and windy conditions. Lions still trail by 67.

Nitish Kumar Reddy began proceedings for India A after lunch. In the third over after resumption, he managed to get a thick outside edge of Rehan Ahmed. But KL Rahul, at second slip, couldn't hold on despite diving to his right. Reddy, though, managed to get one back in the next over. Rehan once again went for the drive against a length ball on the fifth stump and this time, the edge flew straight into Rahul's bread basket. The ninth-wicket stand of 36 runs took 77 balls coming. That is the third-longest partnership in this Lions innings. And it has started to become quite dark, bringing light into the conversation. Lions are 279 for 9, still trailing India A by 69.

Five wickets in the first session for India A. Four of them from Khaleel Ahmed. The tourists will be pleased the way day three has gone thus far. Jordan Cox attacked early in the day but the first hour belonged to Khaleel, who tested the Lions batters. He had Cox caught behind, James Rew nicked one to first slip, George Hill was yorked for a first-ball blob and Chris Woakes was also caught behind going for an expansive drive. Lions slipped from 219 for 3 to 229 for 7 in under six overs. Once Tushar Deshpande sent back Max Holden, it looked like Lions would fold soon and concede a big lead to India A. But Josh Tongue and Farhan Ahmed have managed to bring down the deficit to 82.

Tushar Deshpande was brought on as first change after 13 overs on day three. He began from over the wicket and that did not cause trouble for the Lions batters. But in his second over, he caused a few indecisive moments for Max Holden, who fished at a few balls outside off. In Deshpande's third over of the day, he landed one on a length and got it to nip back in slightly. Holden once again hung his bat out at that but ended up chopping it on via the inside edge. Lions now 243 for 8, still 105 behind India A's first-innings total.