Ahmedabad, Jan 10: Indian wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has been named batting consultant of England Lions, who are set to play two-day warm-up match followed by three four-day matches against India A starting from January 12 in Narendra Modi Stadium, Gujarat.

Designed to run parallel with the England men's five-match Test series against India at the start of 2024, England Lions are set to embark on a month-long tour of India. Hosted entirely in Ahmedabad, the Lions will play a two-day warm-up match against India A, followed by three four-day matches against the same opponents.

The group will be in situ from January 12 to February 4, coinciding with the first Test in Hyderabad (starting January 25) and the first half of the second Test in Visakhapatnam (February 2)

Leading the charge as head coach will be England Men’s Elite Pace Bowling Coach, Neil Killeen, who previously demonstrated his leadership skills during the Lions' tour of Sri Lanka last year.

The coaching lineup for the Lions features an impressive array of cricketing expertise. Joining Killeen on this coaching expedition are individuals with a deep understanding of the Indian conditions.

Notable additions include the experienced India international wicketkeeper-batter, Dinesh Karthik, who will share his insights with the squad for nine days at the beginning of the tour.

Mo Bobat, England Men’s Performance Director, expressed his satisfaction with the coaching group, emphasizing the depth and diversity of experiences they bring to the table. Neil Killeen, having impressed in his previous stint with the Lions, takes on the head coach responsibilities once again.

“It’s great to have such a strong coaching group supporting our players for what should be an exciting challenge versus India A. The group has a deep and diverse set of experiences and expertise.”

“Neil Killeen did an excellent job leading the Lions in Sri Lanka last year and will assume head coach responsibilities again,” he added.

Former England internationals Ian Bell and Graeme Swann are also part of the coaching staff, bringing their wealth of knowledge and experiences from playing in India. Their expertise will prove invaluable as they work alongside England's full-time coaches Richard Dawson and Carl Hopkinson.

“Similarly, Ian Bell and Graeme Swann have spent time around our Lions environments over the past year and will be well-placed to continue supporting the players, many of whom they already know well. They both bring fantastic experiences to their respective coaching and mentoring roles,’ expressed Mo Bobat

“Carl Hopkinson and Richard Dawson have extensive pathway experience and bring with them an England senior coaching perspective, and recent experience of Indian conditions.

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“And it’s fantastic to have Dinesh Karthik with us for a part of our prep period and leading into the first Test. I’m sure the lads will love spending time with him and benefiting from his experience of what it takes to be successful at Test level in India.” (IANS)

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