Jamie Porter

England Lions have announced their squads for the tour to India which will see them play five unofficial ODIs and two unofficial Tests against India 'A' in two venues in Kerala.

Indian opener Murali Vijay had another productive outing in the English County Championship Division One, scoring 85 to propel Essex to a commanding position, after bowling out Worcestershire for 94 on Tuesday.

India opener Murali Vijay finally found some runs in England as he made a sedate half-century for Essex in a County Championship Division One match against Nottinghamshire on Monday.

India's Test specialist Hanuma Vihari gave a far better account of himself in his second County match for Warwickshire but couldn't build on a steady start, scoring 32 against Essex on Friday.

All-rounder Ben Stokes, who was deemed not guilty of affray charges by a Bristol court on Tuesday, has subsequently been added to the England squad for the third Test starting on Saturday in Nottingham.

New Zealand were well beaten Sunday in their final warm-up game ahead of next week's first Test against England at Lord's, with Ben Compton's fifth hundred of the season guiding a County Select XI to a seven-wicket win at Chelmsford.

Star batsman Williamson, who only joined the squad this week after leaving the Indian Premier League early to witness the birth of his second child in New Zealand and did not bat in the first innings of this match against a County Select XI at Chelmsford.

Eddie Byrom played the innings of his career by hitting 117 of Somerset's 301 to take the upper hand over Essex on day two of the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord's.

England have included Chris Woakes in place of Ben Stokes for the second Test at Lord's starting Thursday. Stokes has to appear for a hearing in Bristol court on Monday and the hearing is likely to go on through the week. Woakes, meanwhile, is returning from an injury and might take Stokes' place in the playing XI.

For India to win the series this time around both batsmen will have to turn a corner in form and application. While the team management is singing praises for Pujara, it is believed that Rahul could bat at number three, if the Dhawan-Vijay opening combination is retained.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are set to take the new ball for England once again. However, with five Tests in just six weeks, the depth of England's pace bowling resources could be tested.

England Lions will be one of the innumerable stops that out-of-form opener KL Rahul will encounter in his road to redemption as he gears up to play for India A in the first unofficial Test.

James Vince could make a return to England duty at his Hampshire home ground after being included in a 14-man squad announced on Thursday for the Southampton Test.

Out-of-favour India opener KL Rahul was back amongst the runs, his unbeaten 88 steering India A to 219 for one on Day two of the first unofficial Test against England Lions on Friday.

If captain Virat Kohli had got support from his batting colleagues in Birmingham, the scenario would have been completely different. The world number one Test side came close to taking the lead but fell short by 31 runs.

A pair of blink-and-you-miss-it Ranji Trophy matches courtesy pitches that behaved like spitting cobras have made sure that the focus remained on the 22-yard strip for the first of the two four-day games between India 'A' and England Lions beginning at Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad on Thursday.

For Indian team, the Trent Bridge Test will be their last chance to save the series after being outplayed in the first two Test matches -- by 31 runs Edgbaston and innings and 159 runs at the Lord's.