India will tour England for a five-match Test series next year. The Test series will start at the end of June and will go on until the start of August. It will be a vital tournament for the Indians but they will be in the IPL in April and May. Hence, there might not be a lot of preparation time. Hence, some players could decide to be available in the County Championship to give themselves a better crack at the England series squad. Here, we take a look at the list of three Indians who might prefer County over IPL 2025 to prepare for the England Tour in 2025.
1) Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan is one of the Indians who might prefer County over IPL 2025 to prepare for the England Tour in 2025. He went unsold in IPL 2024 Auctions and no one picked him as a replacement.
Hence, Sarfaraz might focus on the County games. There is a criticism that he does not play well in swinging conditions. Playing in the County could help him in this regard.
2) Akash Deep
Akash Deep did not do well in the few IPL matches he played in IPL 2024. Anyways, there are better options than him in the T20 format for all teams.
Considering his skills in the red-ball format might suit in England, he could fancy a chance. Even if gets in as a net bowler with some experience in the County, the chance of sneaking in to the Indian Team could be high if there is an injury.
3) KS Bharat
Although he is down in the pecking order, KS Bharat must not lose hope. The likes of Dhruv Jurel have not been tested in overseas conditions. Since anyways he is not doing well in IPL, KS Bharat might consider a stint in the County.
If he does well with the bat there, he will surely be considered for the England Tour. It would help him in the long run to gain better experience.
