The much-anticipated five-match Test series between England and India is set to begin on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. This marks the start of a new era in Indian cricket, with Shubman Gill taking over the reins of Test captaincy from Rohit Sharma. Gill, 24, will be leading India for the first time in the longest format against a Ben Stokes-led England side known for their aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach.
While England will look to continue their fearless style of play, India will bank on their promising youth and experienced pace attack to counter the hosts in challenging English conditions. The series opener is expected to set the tone for what promises to be a riveting contest between two top-tier teams.
Ravi Shastri reveals his India XI for the first Test; Karun Nair finds a place at No. 5
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has unveiled his preferred Indian playing XI for the Headingley Test, highlighting a bold mix of youth and experience. Speaking on the ICC Review show, Shastri backed KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as his opening pair.
“It would be (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, and with him will be KL Rahul, because I think this is a big tour for him. He’s the most experienced of the batsmen,” said Shastri.
Shastri also gave a big nod to young talent Sai Sudharsan, placing him at No. 3, ahead of established names.
“Whatever I’ve seen of him, he’s very impressive. This will be good exposure for him,” added Shastri.
Also READ: Harbhajan Singh explains why Shardul Thakur should play over Nitish Reddy in the ENG vs IND Test series
In a surprising yet calculated move, Shastri named Karun Nair at No. 5, citing his strong domestic performances and hunger for a comeback.
“It’ll be Karun Nair. He bats at five, it’s a long time since he played for India. He’s just worked his way back into the side. The number of runs he’s got in first-class cricket is incredible,” explained the former India cricketer.
Shastri also gave detailed insights into the bowling composition. He stated he would opt for three frontline pacers, along with either Shardul Thakur or Nitish Reddy as the seam-bowling all-rounder. For the pace trio, Shastri suggested a combination based on conditions.
“I would go with three fast bowlers, plus Shardul Thakur. I know it’ll be a tough one between Shardul and Nitish Reddy, but you have to see who bowls how much. If Reddy is going to give you 12–14 overs, then he might get the nod because of his batting. The three fast bowlers would be Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and of course Jasprit Bumrah. In Leeds, if it’s overcast and cloudy, there might be the temptation of going with the left-armer Arshdeep Singh as well. So it will be Prasidh/Arshdeep, but the other two will be Siraj and Bumrah,” concluded Shastri.
Youthful Indian side geared up for high-stakes challenge under Shubman Gill
As India begins a new chapter under Shubman Gill’s leadership, expectations are sky-high. With promising young names like Sudharsan, Jaiswal, Reddy, and Nair in the mix, this tour could define the next generation of Indian Test stars. Meanwhile, the presence of experienced campaigners like Bumrah, Rahul, and Siraj provides a stable spine to the squad.
Also READ: Deep Dasgupta picks India’s playing XI for the first Test against England, no place for Sai Sudharsan
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