It is kind of modern – and a little bit of truism too – to say that no staff or participant carries secrets and techniques anymore. Such is the velocity at which info travels and so many are the alternatives to mingle – like in franchise T20 leagues – that each cricketer’s each transfer is damaged down, analysed threadbare and bespoke plans hatched.
Yet, when England hosts India within the first of 5 Tests beginning Friday at Headingley right here, there’s a honest sprinkling of the unknown. How will a new-look Indian batting order sans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fare? How will an inexperienced English bowling assault carry out? And how will a venue which has lengthy been synonymous with swing and seam behave below sizzling circumstances and forecast for little or no rain.
The chief among the many intrigues for India is about who would bat at No. 3, with skipper Shubman Gill – who began his profession up high after which grew to become the designated No. 3 – confirmed to occupy the No. 4 place, a proper of passage, following within the footsteps of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
B. Sai Sudharsan is spoken of extremely, and Karun Nair has previous expertise of taking part in Tests, two seasons of nation cricket for Northamptonshire and a 204 at No. 3 for India-A versus England Lions not too long ago.
Shubman Gill bats at a apply session.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
The bowling, set to be led by the irresistible duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, will see a shuffle too. Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh lead the race for the third seamer’s berth, and there’s Akash Deep too. Prasidh can threaten the highest half of the willow whereas Arshdeep brings a left-armer’s selection and knowhow of the Dukes ball, having performed for county aspect Kent.
Who amongst all-rounders Nitish Reddy and Shardul Thakur, and tweaker Kuldeep Yadav play will point out the Indian suppose tank’s philosophy. Nitish can shore up the batting whereas Thakur gives a greater probability of taking 20 scalps. With the turf anticipated to flatten progressively, the left-arm wrist spin of Kuldeep, that fetched up 19 wickets at 20.15 throughout 4 residence Tests towards England final 12 months, can turn out to be useful.
England, in distinction, can not boast of such riches. Captain Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes are seasoned males however Stokes has had a restricted function as a bowler in current instances whereas Woakes was out of motion for 4 months (ankle bother) and has simply two First Class video games main in.
However, there’s a acquainted look to the batting. With Ollie Pope set for No. 3, it’s near-certain that the house aspect will sport the identical top-four of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Pope and native hero Joe Root as it had the final time it met India, in Dharamshala in March 2024. England would nonetheless like a special consequence, for again then, it misplaced the match by an innings and 64 runs, a consequence that secured India a 4-1 sequence win.
Confidence could be gained from the truth that England has gained every of the final 5 matches at Leeds going again seven years, together with the innings-and-a-76-run victory over India in 2021. A continuation of this streak will solely additional whet the urge for food of the typical fan in these elements after the enthralling World Test Championship ultimate that ushered this summer time’s big-ticket motion.
The groups: England (XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt.), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir.
India (from): Shubman Gill (capt.), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ok.L. Rahul, B. Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana.
Match begins at 3.30 p.m. IST.
Published – June 19, 2025 10:48 pm IST
