Cook, Malan named in 'Test-heavy' Lions squad to face India A

In a bid to step-up preparations for the Test series with India, England have selected a Test-heavy Lions side ahead of their match with India A. Alastair Cook, Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Dom Bess and Jack Leach make up six of the XI for the four-day match at New Road, Worcester on July 16.

With the English domestic season moving into Twenty20 mode for the next month, red-ball matches are at a premium, meaning the ECB are finding creative ways to give their longest form players adequate preparation ahead of Test series which begins on August 1. Before then, there is only one full round of Championship cricket - starting July 22 - which is simply not enough ahead of a five-match series that spans just six weeks.

England Lions: Alastair Cook (Essex), Rory Burns (Surrey), Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Dom Bess (Somerset), Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Jamie Porter (Essex)

The situation highlights the flaws in the domestic schedule, particularly adopting a block for the domestic T20 competition. That being said, given the amount of cricket that needs to be shoehorned into the season, it is a thankless task being an ECB scheduler. All England players will be available for selection by their counties in that "final round", giving most at least two matches of preparation. As for the five uncapped players in the side, this is the best opportunity to stake a claim for higher honours against a strong India A.

Rory Burns and Ollie Pope - one and two in the Division One run-scoring charts and both of Surrey who sit top of the table - will be eyeing opening and middle order spots, respectively. Nick Gubbins, who has impressed with the Lions on previous excursions, will also put forward his case at the top of the order.

It is perhaps within the bowling stocks that there will be the most room for manoeuvre. Jamie Porter, who took 85 first class wickets during Essex's title-winning campaign is the front-runner, with Yorkshire's 20-year old seamer Matt Fisher, who broke onto the scene at 15, gets the chance to further his development. That they could make a last-gasp play for the Test squad is down to uncertainty over three of England's main quicks.

While Woakes will use the game to step-up his rehabilitation from a right knee and quad injury, supplemented by a three-day second XI match for Warwickshire against Leicestershire that stats on Tuesday July 10, there are still concerns over leading wicket-takers James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Earlier in the week, Broad took to Instagram to reveal that he has been taking a course of injections to settle a ligament problem in his ankle. In the post, appearing on his Instagram Stories, he said: "I've had some injections in my left ankle for an ongoing ligament problem after seeing brilliant specialists and having different scans. It needs 5 days rest then aiming to run Tuesday and build up quickly with an aim to play for Notts CCC against Surrey CCC 22nd July. That's the plan!"

Anderson is also on the comeback trail, making a return to competitive cricket for Lancashire second XI in a three-day game against Nottinghamshire on July 15. His last action came at the start of June, in the second Test against Pakistan, as he has tried to rehabilitate a long-standing issue with his right shoulder. He will then play in the County Championship against Yorkshire - the final round before the first India Test.

The strength of this Lions squad may also be a nod to the fact that the programme needs to start getting results on the field and not just act as a glorified touring company in the winter, which is the impression some outside the system have of this pathway scheme.

A report published on ESPNcricinfo confirmed the ECB are cancelling pace programmes and overseas placements in a bid to slash budgets and, at the start of the summer, acting director of cricket and former Lions head coach Andy Flower stated that the Lions system needed to be reevaluated after a disappointing winter.

Meanwhile, Ben Stokes has been declared fit for the final T20I against India at Bristol on Sunday, after coming through a T20 Blast match for Durham Jets against Yorkshire Vikings. Despite his 90 not out, the Jets succumbed to a 44-run defeat.