“I have never joined my team environment in my whole career, where neither virat nor Rohit is present,” Kl Rahul said, thinking about the changing face of the Indian test cricket.
When India is released on Headingley on Friday, it will not be just the beginning of the new World Championship cycle. It will also be the beginning of the new chapter – one without three pillars of the previous era: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin. Their absence refers to the quiet but clear point of the turning point and the opportunity comes.
Since the debut of Rahul in December 2014 – and even in the return to August 2011 – at least one of the trio appeared in each Indian test. Now, for the first time in more than ten years, the new generation gets to the center of attention.
There is no doubt that the transition came quickly. But there is also a feeling of excitement. Under the captain of SHUBMAN GILLAThe young and hungry Indian party comes to England with fresh energy, very small luggage prepared for its grade. Challenges are real – playing a series of five tests in England is always – but also potential.
There is no gentle handover for the new Captain Shubman Gill and his young site. It’s an attempt by fire. And it starts at Leeds where India has not played much since her famous victory in 2002.
SHUBMAN GILL The appointment as the captain of the test picked up the eyebrows. At the age of 25 and still looking for legs in the cricket of the red ball, its height indicates a courageous and narrated shift in access from selectors and team leadership. The White Ball star, Gill has now been handed over to the reins in the most difficult format, with the hope that the responsibility will focus its edge rather than weigh it.
It’s not without precedens. In 2014, the 26 -year -old Virt Kohli took over the team after sudden retirement of Mrs. Dhoni in the middle of the Australian series. Kohli got up on this occasion and continued to carve his name among the greats of the Indian test cricket.
Can Gill do the same? Why not.
He clarified his ambitions. The captain of the test, said, is the highest honor of cricket – and comes on Friday, intends to lead with clarity and peace in the dressing room. More than it set a goal: Be the best body in the series. It is a noble goal, especially due to its modest record in overseas conditions. But Gill never missed faith – and sometimes half of the battle may be.
It won’t be easy. Not for Gill, not for the head coach Gautam Gambhira, who is under the subsequent defeat of the series under pressure. India was released at home against New Zealand and on a tour in Australia. Gambhir survived, but with England on the horizon may not be long leash.
Both Gill and Gambhir now make sense to prove. And they will have to do it with a young, relatively inexperienced team. Kl Rahul, with 58 tests behind it, is the most complicated body. The bowling attack offers a little more acquaintance, even if he feels the absence of Muhammed Shami. The 19-man group includes unlimited names such as Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwarean and Arshdeep Singh, while Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur are trying to reopen.
India still looks competitive on India paper. However, five tests in England are another animal, especially against the party that caused home dominance its identity in the era of Bazball.
England was ruthless at home in the era of Bazball. Given that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have become leadership, their ultra -aggressive battery approach has been bullding the opposition parties and caused even the steep targets of the fourth direction to look persecuted. India was at the end of it at the end of 2022 and since the beginning of the Bazball Revolution England won 15 out of 20 tests – the ratio of loss of victory 3.75, second only in Australia.
However, this series means the first main test of England in Post-Anderson and a wide era. The injury has also exhausted its resources – Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are inaccessible, so Chris Woakes leaves a relatively inexperienced attack. His New Kazi partners, Josh Language and Brydon Cars, among them have only eight tests. Lead Spinner Shoib Bashir, though promising, is still soon in his career with 16 tests under the belt. Captain Stokes, who is returning from injuries, is likely to have to transfer the role of the fifth Bowler.
ENG VS India: head records to head
- India and England played 136 tests. India won 35 of them, lost 51, while 50 of them ended in draw.
- In England, India played 67 tests and won only nine of them. Two of these victories came on their last tour under the captain of Virt Kohl.
- Headingley in India played seven tests, won two and lost four.
ENG vs Ind: Hitch and weather conditions Headingley
On the eve of the test match had a playground in Headingley. Expect a little grass on the pitch on the start day and help moving for the Pacers. Both Gill and Stokes emphasized that the beginning of the English summer was dry than usual. However, a little rain is predicted for all five days of the test match. The conditions of overhead conditions will dictate the course of the game, but if the weather remains clear, the playground will gradually improve for launching. If the weather remains clear and allows you to crumble.
The teams that won the throwing tend to decide to mix here. In the last six tests at the venue of Bowling teams first won the test matches.
254 for 7, 296 for 3, 362 for 9, 322 for 5 have been the last four successful persecution of fourth shifts in this place since 2017.
Team News: Eng vs Indian, 1. Test
England named her playing XI two days before the test match. Ollie Pope retains his place alongside Jacob Bethell, while the hosts left with three front Pacer and Spinner.
England plays XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook ,? Ben Stokes (Captain), Jamie Smith (Wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Cars, Josh language, Shoaib Bashir.
India predicted XI: KL RAHUL, YASHASVI JAISWAL, SAI SUDHARSAN, SHUBMAN GILL (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohamj.
SHUBMAN GILL is set to a bat on No. 4 and fills the long -held virat Kohl. Vice-Capital Rishabh Pant will follow in No. 5 and anchor the middle order in the transition. Yashsvi Jaiswal and Kl Rahul are likely to open, while India still has to complete his number 3. Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwarean and Karun Nair are in mixtures.
Nair, back in the test settings after seven years, seems to be a pioneer. At the beginning of this month, he scored against the English lions and was seen, unlike Sudharsan and Easware, who had limited clean time, caught up.
In the bowling department, Jadeja, Bumrah and Siraj are chosen. The third sailor slot is likely to throw between Akash Deep, Prazidh Krishna and the left fingers of Arshdeep Singh. For the role of versatile rooting, this could descend on Shardul Thakur or Nitish Reddy. Given the management of workload Bumhrah, Thakur’s experience and bowling skills can give him an advantage.
ENG vs Indian, 1. Test: Players watching
KL satisfied: After becoming a brand in England in 2021-22, the highest specialized dough on the side must carry the burden of scoring a large at the top in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virt Kohli.
RISHABH PANT: Running the goal, now Vice-Capital, must find a balance between his natural game and play according to the requirements of the situation. If the hinge reaches the middle order, Indian launching will be impressive.
Mohammed Siraj: After an ordinary series in Australia, Siraj roared back into the formation of the IPL 2025 season for Gujarat Titans. Hyderabad Pacer will be determined to show a point in England, where he found a great success in 2021-22. It must intensify because Bumrah is ready to play only three out of five tests.
Chris Woakes: All-Rounder Seam-Bowling was Broad and Anderson’s retirement. If England is well in the opening series, Woakes must fire.
Ben Stokes: All eyes will be on Stokes’ body, because the captain may need to give these further exceeding to give a pillow a young bowling unit.
Joe Root: A good start to England’s All-Time Run-Getter sets up a host series. Roon’s battle against Bumrah, his Nemesis, will be one to watch out for.
ENG vs Indian, 1.
England can hold a slight edge facing the series Opening, but with so many unknowns on this Indian side is not surprised if it exceeds expectations.
Published:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
June 20, 2025
