India's cricket manager Chandu Borde on Thursday said the three-day match against England Lions gives the team management a chance to identify their final eleven ahead of the first Test in Lord's.

"This is a good chance to prepare ourselves for the tour. Our aim is to play good, hard cricket here and that will also give us an opportunity to see and assess the players and that will help us to spot the final eleven before the first Test," Borde said.

"The match is also an opportunity for the players to keep their form going and help us to see how they are getting ready for the big matches," he added.

The former chairman of national selection committee also justified the presence of current chairman Dilip Vengsarkar during the series.

"It is good that Vengsarkar is here. It is long tour and a big season is ahead of us. So being with the team will help him see the players in person and get a better idea of them in terms of form and fitness. That is a part of his job," he said.

On the pitch at the Ford County Ground, he said, "They are trying to keep some grass on the pitch and the curator said this is a batsmen's paradise. But we have players to cope with any kind of condition and players are all eager to go out and do well in the match."

Borde also allayed the concerns over skipper Rahul Dravid's fitness. "Dravid's absolutely fine. He is not playing in this match just as a precautionary measure. There is nothing serious about his injury. He should be ready for the first Test."