Ian Bell will captain the team Photo © CricInfo

The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced the England Under 19 squad for the tour to India this winter. The six-week tour begins on Wednesday 27 December and finishes on Wednesday 7 February.

The team will play three four-day Test Matches and three One-Day Internationals against the India Under 19 team, who are current Under 19 World Champions, as well as a number of other three-day and one-day matches. A full itinerary will be issued as soon as possible.

The 15-man squad features 10 players from this summer's squad which played against Sri Lanka Under 19 (Bell, Wallace, Peng, Ali, Pratt, Panesar, Pattison, Sadler, Bishop, Tremlett) but there are five newcomers (Muchall, McGarry, Ferley, Hogg, Suppiah). Eight players have experience in First Class cricket.

Tim Boon, England Under 19 Team Coach, said, "The opportunity to play in the sub-continent against the current Under 19 World Champions will be a great experience for our players and an important part of their cricketing education. India's main strengths will be in their batting and spin bowling - they will be a tough side to beat."

England Under 19 last toured India in 1992/3, when Matthew Walker captained a side which included current England player Michael Vaughan. England drew the three-match Test Series 1-1, but lost the one-day series 0-3.

India Under 19 returned to England in the summer of 1994 and played an England Under 19 side which included Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Chris Silverwood and Vikram Solanki. England won the three-match Test Series 1-0 and the one-day series 2-0.

England Under 19 Squad - Tour of India 2000 / 2001

Ian Bell              Warwickshire (Captain)
Mark Wallace          Glamorgan    (Wicketkeeper)
Nicky Peng            Durham
Kadeer Ali            Worcestershire
Gary Pratt            Durham
Monty Panesar         Northamptonshire
Ian Pattison          Durham
John Sadler           Yorkshire
Justin Bishop         Essex
Chris Tremlett        Hampshire
Gordon Muchall        Durham
Andrew McGarry        Essex
Robert Ferley         Kent
Kyle Hogg             Lancashire
Arul Suppiah          Somerset

Tour Manager:         Tim Tremlett 
Coach:                Tim Boon 
Physiotherapist:      Kirk Russell 
Physiologist:         Mark Simpson