England A to tour India to build depth for home Ashes

England A will tour India in November and December for three T20s, three 50-over matches and a four-day game.

The trip is built around development and long-term planning. The four-day game will form part of England's preparation for next summer's Women's Ashes against Australia, with young batters, seamers and spinners given time in subcontinent conditions BBC Sport.

The tour starts with T20 cricket in Pune on 30 November. T20 is the shortest international format, with 20 overs per side and constant attacking intent. The squad then moves to Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium for the 50-over matches, the longer one-day format, followed by the four-day red-ball game.

That red-ball focus matters. The next multi-format Women's Ashes series starts with a four-day Test at Headingley on 27 June. Points from Tests, one-day internationals and T20s are added together to decide the Ashes, the historic rivalry between England and Australia.

England need a reset in that contest. They lost the 2025 Women's Ashes away from home 16-0. The lessons were harsh.

There has been progress since. England reached the final of the Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year under head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. The 50-over side also started 2026 by winning in Sri Lanka, then beat Sri Lanka and India at home in the summer BBC Sport.

The A squads bring proven quality. Eleven players selected across the three formats have already been capped at full international level. Two young names miss out. Batter Davina Perrin and fast bowler Cassidy McCarthy will not travel while recovering from injury.

For fans, this means a first look at the players who could shape the next two years. India offers turning pitches, heat, noise and pressure. It is a sharp education for an aspiring international cricketer.

The senior calendar is busy too. England are scheduled to play three T20s and three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka before the first Women's Champions Trophy, a T20 competition, in India in February.