ECB confirm performance squad schedule

The ECB has confirmed the dates of the England performance programme (EPP) tour of India this November and December.

With the England Test squad also in India at the same time, the presence of the EPP allows the senior squad easy access to replacements should injury or illness intervene. However, the EPP squad do not arrive in the country until the eve of the second Test on November 19.

Following a two week preparation period at the National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough, the EPP squad will fly to India and undertake a training programme in Mumbai and Pune.

The squad will play two three-day matches against a DY Patil Academy XI at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai before rounding off their tour in Pune where they will play two one-day fixtures and a T20 fixture against Netherlands. None of these fixtures will carry official status.

The planning is similar to that used by England during the 2010-11 Ashes series when the performance squad was based in Australia during the initial part of the trip to shadow the senior side as they prepared for the series.

David Parsons, the ECB performance director, said: "The opportunity to take players to the sub-continent to work on specific skills is vital in identifying and developing players who can go on to be world-class cricketers for England in the future. As with previous EPP training programmes, we will be combining skills-work and training with a programme of competitive cricket."

The England Lions side, which will largely be selected from players on the performance programme, will tour Australia early next year.