ECB announces England Lions squad for red-ball India tour
Dec 13, 2023
London [UK], December 13 : A 15-man strong England Lions side will fly to India for a month-long red-ball tour in early January that coincides with the beginning of England senior team's five-match Test series against the Asian giants from January 25.
"A 15-player England Lions squad will fly to India in early January for a month-long red-ball tour that coincides with the start of England Men's five-match Test series," said a statement from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday.
Lancashire batter Josh Bohannon will captain the squad after leading the County Championship Division One run-scoring last summer with 1,257 runs at an average of 59.85 with four centuries.
The squad will feature England's international-level players Brydon Carse, Alex Lees, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Stone, Matthew Potts and Matt Fisher.
The Lions will be based in Ahmedabad for the whole tour and are scheduled to play India A in three four-day matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The tour begins with a two-day warm-up match against India A.
England Men's Performance Director, Mo Bobat, said: "Playing a series in India at any level is a challenge to get excited about, it is one of the truest tests for any cricketer. It is great that our Lions team can experience that challenge and have the opportunity to showcase their skills in those conditions.
"The squad has a strong core of players in it that were out in Abu Dhabi recently for the training camp, with some of those players already selected into the Test squad. There is also a return for some more experienced players which aligns with supporting England's more immediate needs."
England Lions squad
Josh Bohannon (Lancashire - captain)
Kasey Aldridge (Somerset)
Brydon Carse (Durham)
Jack Carson (Sussex)
James Coles (Sussex)
Matt Fisher (Yorkshire)
Keaton Jennings (Lancashire)
Tom Lawes (Surrey)
Alex Lees (Durham)
Dan Mousley (Warwickshire)
Callum Parkinson (Durham)
Matt Potts (Durham)
Ollie Price (Gloucestershire)
James Rew (Somerset)
Ollie Robinson (Durham)
Schedule
January 12-13: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium - Ground B, Ahmedabad
January 17-20: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
January 24-27: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
February 1-4: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
