There is a lot of anticipation around India’s line-up for the series opener.
The much-awaited India versus England Test series is slated to get underway on Friday (June 20) at Headingley. The five-match series marks the beginning of India’s 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle under the new captain Shubman Gill.
There is a lot of anticipation around India’s line-up for the series opener. Unlike the hosts, the tourists are yet to announce their playing XI as Gill kept cards close to his chest in the pre-match presser.
When asked about the combination, Gill said: “We actually were waiting, this summer has been a little bit different to the other English summers and it's been a little bit dry. I was just waiting to see the wicket one last time to see the final combinations and decide on that.”
However, one can take cues on the Indian XI for the Leeds Test by looking at the visitors’ net session on the eve of the game.
According to a TOI report, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal had long hits while Gill had a marathon session. Karun Nair utilized all practice surfaces, and Ravindra Jadeja spent considerable time on his batting.
Several key players were missing from the optional net session under sweltering and dry conditions, including Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar.
Nair is expected to bat at No. 3 on his Test return after eight years, with Jaiswal, Rahul, Gill, Pant, and Jadeja likely to feature in top six as well.
Bumrah is certain the spearhead the pace attack alongside Siraj, leaving three spots open — particularly for the all-rounders and third seamer. Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy are leading contenders for their dual skills. Prasidh Krishna could play as a third pacer, especially since Arshdeep Singh bowled a long spell — a sign he may be rested.
Kuldeep Yadav is also in reckoning considering the dry Leeds track, though his inclusion may weaken batting depth. The left-arm wrist-spinner bowled and batted for a long period, but final selection may come down to a choice between bowling variety and batting solidity.
India's possible XI for Leeds Test: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj.
(With TOI inputs)