Last Updated on 5 years ago by Charbel Coorey
India possible XI for first Test vs England | Possible Playing 11 for India in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge
India’s tour of England begins on Wednesday, August 4 with the first of the five highly anticipated Test matches at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
While most of the lineup picks itself based on their performances throughout the two-year WTC cycle and past performances in England, there is still debate over certain spots, especially with a depleted squad at their disposal. The opening combination is a question with Shubman Gill out of the entire tour and Mayank Agarwal ruled out of the first Test, while the middle-order combination is also a legitimate debate. As is the final look of the pace attack.
Prior to the series opener, here is a look at the possible XI for Team India:
Openers: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul
Incumbent opener Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to start the series at the top for India. After Gill returned to India, Mayank Agarwal was set to slot at the top with Rohit. However, with Mayank ruled out due to concussion, KL Rahul, who has enjoyed success in the past opening the innings, will likely open the series with Rohit.
Since his return to the Test set-up, Rohit has been unstoppable as an opener. After having a great run in the first WTC cycle, fans are backing him to start well in the Nottingham Test. For Rahul, this is a golden chance to cement his place back in the Test XI. If Rahul performs well in the first Test, then he will make life difficult for Mayank to make a straight return to the XI.
Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane
Numbers 3-5 select themselves with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane making up a highly experienced and high-class middle order. However, these positons aren’t without concerns.
Pujara is short of runs in the last one year or so; he has not scored a Test hundred for a while now, and being a Test specialist he would be looking to make amends this time around. Virat Kohli was the batsman of the series in 2018, aggregating 593 runs in 10 innings with two hundreds and three fifties. However, the skipper has endured indifferent form with the bat, especially in Test cricket since November 2019 – the last time he scored a Test ton.
For India to kick-start the series on a winning note, they need the Kohli of 2018 at Nottingham. Ajinkya Rahane was under injury scare but the team management seems to be confident about his availability for the opening Test of the series. Rahane has not done much with the bat since his iconic hundred at the MCG against Australia last year. All three of the experienced batsmen have been going through a lean phase as far as their batting is concerned, and for India to win the first game, they will need to turn up with big contributions to set the series up for the visitors.
Wicket Keeper: Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant has been in the form of his life since India’s tour Down Under in 2020-2021. After match-changing performances in Sydney and Brisbane, he was in devastating form in the home series against England.
Pant provides the X-factor in the lower middle order and has the potential and ability to change the course of a match by scoring big runs at a high strike rate. His glovework also improved from the last time he travelled to England. He knows the conditions having played a series before in 2018.
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin
India’s lower order received a massive boost with the reincarnation of Ravindra Jadeja, the batsman. Jadeja has been an invaluable asset to this team, and with no Hardik Pandya, it’s most likely that Ravindra Jadeja will slot in at number 7 for India. With the ball, he bowls tight lines and England has struggled against the left-arm spin, which makes his case for a spot in the XI even stronger. Also, Jadeja scored two fifties in the practice game and it has been observed that in England, visiting teams always go with the extra batting option.
Ravichandran Ashwin has transformed from a support act in SENA to a major wicket-taking bowler since the tour to South Africa in 2018. He showcased his all-round brilliance with both bat and ball in the series at home against England in February 2021. The off-spinner recently played a game for Surrey where he recorded his best figures in England. Ashwin will be an important key to India’s bowling group for the Nottingham game and has been in good form with the bat of late, which adds depth to the Indian order.
Bowlers: Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah
The familiar pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah will certainly enjoy bowling with Dukes especially at Trent Bridge, where the pacers have enjoyed a bit more in comparison with other venues in the UK.
The bowling group will try to learn from their mistakes in the WTC Final. Jasprit Bumrah was inconsistent in the final against New Zealand, and India will be hoping that the 27-year-old finds his rhythm in the opening Test. Ishant Sharma will lead the attack, being the most experienced paceman of the team. Mohammad Shami’s numbers will tempt India to play the in-form Mohammed Siraj, but the way Shami bowled in the WTC Final shows that numbers can’t challenge the quality of the player. What goes in favour of Shami is his accuracy and arguably the world’s best seam position.
India Likely Playing XI:
1. Rohit Sharma, 2. KL Rahul, 3. Cheteshwar Pujara, 4. Virat Kohli, 5. Ajinkya Rahane, 6. Rishabh Pant, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Mohammed Shami, 10. Ishant Sharma, 11. Jasprit Bumrah
Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.
