While the Indian cricket team continues to be a juggernaut in white-ball cricket, Test cricket remains a matter of huge concern after the team's disastrous 2024-25 season in which they suffered a 3-0 humiliation at home against New Zealand and later lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 3-1 to Australia.

This meant that for the first time in history, India failed to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will be played by South Africa and Australia at Lord's in June. However, India will travel to England in June to begin the 2025-27 WTC campaign with a marquee five-match Test series in England.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is taking the recent test results seriously, and the players will have to take part in red-ball activities during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) in order to stay in touch with Test cricket.

As per the published information, players will be asked to participate in red-ball practice sessions during the IPL and engage in unconventional activities tailored for targeted players. The report states that the exact details have been kept confidential but were discussed by the Indian team management and the BCCI in Dubai recently, where the Men in Blue are stationed for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The discussions reportedly took place after India's win over Pakistan on Sunday (February 23).

The Rohit Sharma-led team has qualified for the semi-final of the mega event, which will culminate on March 9. The 2025 IPL season will kickstart on March 22, with the summit clash scheduled on May 25.

India and England will play five Test matches between the 20th of June and the 4th of August. The series opener will take place at Headingley before matches at Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford, and Oval.

India has not won a Test series in England since 2007. Although India was leading the five-match series 2-1 in 2021, the fifth Test was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the visiting team's camp and ultimately took place a year later. England won the match to level the series.

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