Although Michael Clarke, the former captain of Australia, thinks India has "enough talent" and is in "safe hands" to defeat England, victory ultimately depends on how well the youthful team performs under trying circumstances.

Just over a month before the five-match series starts at Headingley on June 20, batting greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retire from Test cricket, ushering in a new era for India.

Rohit is replaced as Test captain by Shubman Gill, who is aided by Rishabh Pant. India will also be without veteran pacer Mohammad Shami, who was judged unfit for the series, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Jasprit Bumrah's availability must also be managed by India, who plan to use him in just three of the five Test matches, but the exact games are still up in the air.

“Yes, I do give them a chance, but it’s a much more inexperienced team than I expected to go to England. Not having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is significant. Players come and go, people retire, and the game moves on. A new captain isn’t necessarily a bad thing for India. Retirement opens up opportunities for others," Clarke was quoted as saying to Revsportz.

“The main concern for me is the Indian bowling attack. We know Bumrah can’t play all five Tests. Which matches will he play? Winning the first three could make the last two irrelevant, but I don’t think that will happen. His appearances need to be spaced out for his body’s sake.

Missing Shami is also a big deal. His absence in the Australian series was significant, and having him alongside a fit Bumrah could have changed the outcome. However, India has immense talent. Talent-wise, India will always be strong. It’s just a matter of how quickly these players make their mark. Playing five Tests in England is tough, and they need to be aware of that," Clarke added.

India has added new talent despite losing important players. England will see the Test debuts of Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Alongside Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh will support the pace attack. The main spin option is Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wrist spinner who Clarke refers to as the "X-factor."

“It’s a very good attack. I think there’s enough talent in the Indian squad to win the series. It’s just a matter of experience. Playing in India and England is the toughest challenge in Test cricket. Confidence and self-belief are crucial, and success in these conditions builds that. For many players, this will be their first five-Test series in England. They can play fearless cricket because they don’t know what to fear," Clarke noted.

“I’m pleased to see Kuldeep in the squad. He deserves to be India’s first-choice spinner. He’s a match-winner with an X factor. If India wins the series, Kuldeep Yadav could be the key difference. He’s that important to this Indian team," Clarke concluded.

(With inputs from ANI)