The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed to its Indian counterpart’s request for a tour game ahead of the five-Test series which begins on August 4.

An ECB spokesperson confirmed to The Telegraph that the three-day warm-up match against a select county XI will be organised in the second half of the month. It is understood that the schedule is still being worked out.

The Indian players are currently enjoying a break after the World Test Championship final and will assemble in Durham on July 15 for the pre-series camp.

The team management had requested for a couple of first-class matches ahead of the five-Test series. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah then got in touch with ECB chairman Ian Whatmore and CEO Tom Harrison to sort out the issue.

“We are aware of a request from the BCCI to play a three-day warm-up match against a County Select XI as part of the India men’s Test team’s build-up to the five-match LV= Insurance Test Series,” an ECB spokesperson said.

“We are working through the operations and Covid-19 protocols to ensure we are able to deliver this and will confirm in due course.

“The Indian Test team will report to Emirates Riverside, Durham, for their pre-Test camp on July 15 and will prepare at the venue until August 1 before heading to Trent Bridge, Nottingham, ahead of the first Test starting on August 4.”

The ECB had initially turned down BCCI’s request for matches against county sides because of a packed domestic schedule. Another reason for ECB’s refusal to organise warm-ups is the bio-security protocols that have been put in place for Team India.

The County players have to go through regular testing but don’t stay in bio-security bubbles. Playing against county teams would mean running the risk of a breach in the bubble, which the ECB wasn’t ready to undergo.