India's Likely Playing XI For 1st Test Against England: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul As Openers, This Batter To Replace Virat Kohli At No. 4
The Indian cricket team will start a new era in Tests with a five-match series against England. With Shubman Gill as the new Test captain and Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, India are all set to enter the transition phase after the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. The first Test between India and England is set to be played from June 20 at Headingley, Leeds and the Shubman Gill-led side is expected to field a balanced playing XI, leveraging English conditions. Here's India’s likely Playing XI for the 1st Test against England:
The Indian cricket team will start a new era in Tests with a five-match series against England. With Shubman Gill as the new Test captain and Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, India are all set to enter the transition phase after the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
The first Test between India and England is set to be played from June 20 at Headingley, Leeds and the Shubman Gill-led side is expected to field a balanced playing XI, leveraging English conditions.
Here's India’s likely Playing XI for the 1st Test against England:
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal

2. KL Rahul

3. Karun Nair

India have two good options in Sai Sudharsan or Karun Nair, who could bat at No. 3 in the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Both Sudharsan and Nair are technically sound and going through good form as well. The 33-year-old Nair recently hit a double hundred while playing for India A against England Lions in a four-day practice game in Canterbury. His impressive performance in the practice game might give him a preference over Sudharsan in the Indian playing XI for the first Test.
4. Shubman Gill (Captain)

Shubman Gill will lead India in the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. The 25-year-old Gill has mostly batted at the top of the order or at number three in his Test career so far but he could take the big responsibility of replacing Virat Kohli at No. 4 spot in the Indian cricket team. Gill might bat at No. 4 spot for India in the first Test against England. Him moving to No. 4 spot could be a game changer moment for Gill and might elevate his Test career.
5. Rishabh Pant (VC & WK)

Explosive middle-order batter and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is all set to bat at No. 5 for India in the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Pant has been one of the best batters for India in Test cricket in the last few years and the team would be expecting some counterattacking knocks from him during the tour.
6. Ravindra Jadeja

7. Nitish Kumar Reddy

8. Shardul Thakur

9. Jasprit Bumrah

10. Mohammed Siraj

11. Prasidh Krishna

India have plenty of options in Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh and Akashdeep, when it comes to picking their third pacer for the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds.
Prasidh Krishna's brilliant performance in the Sydney Test against Australia earlier this might help him in getting that preference over Arshdeep Singh and Akashdeep.




