Gill To Lead, Sudharsan, Nair In; No Siraj? India's Strongest Playing XI For England Tests

India will face England in 5 Tests [Source: @SubhanAjmal7, @ImTanujSingh/X]

On Saturday, the BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced India's 18-member squad for the upcoming Test series against England. Led by Shubman Gill, the Indian team will take on the Englishmen in five Tests, with the inaugural game set to be played at Headingley, Leeds. 

Apart from Shubman Gill's appointment as the captain, the comeback of Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur was a major highlight of the selection. Ahead of the much-anticipated tour, let's analyse and find out India's strongest playing combination for the Test series. 

Why KL Rahul Is The Best Man To Open With Yashasvi Jaiswal

(KL Rahul has played mostly as an opener)

Although India have included Abhimanyu Easwaran in their squad, experienced batter KL Rahul should be preferred for the opener's role following Rohit Sharma's retirement. 

• Past success in England: KL Rahul enjoyed stellar success on India's previous England tour, amassing 315 runs at a superb average of 39.38. His stoic technique was a major reason why India got solid starts in most matches, emerging victorious in two out of five Tests. 
• Forms a technically solid opening pair with Jaiswal: KL Rahul has an excellent technique against the moving ball. His ability to play inside the line makes him a tricky customer for the new ball bowlers, while his stoic technique and gritty approach perfectly complements a relatively more aggressive Yashasvi Jaiswal. Statistically, Rahul and Jaiswal were impressive as India's opening pair in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 283 runs at an average of 40.42. 

Test Debut Loading For Sai Sudharsan?

Promising left-handed batter B Sai Sudharsan earned his maiden call-up for the upcoming tour of England. He has been a proven performer in the domestic circuit, slamming 1957 runs at a healthy average of 39.93. 

Sudharsan's watertight technique and ability to play the ball late through the square make him an asset to have in Test cricket. Having said that, there could be a toss-up between him and Abhimanyu Easwaran for the number three batter's role, with the better performer in the upcoming A-tour likely to take up the number three position. 

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Shubman Gill: The Perfect Replacement For Kohli At 4

India's recently appointed captain Shubman Gill has some evident technical flaws against the incoming delivery. From James Anderson to Scott Boland; overseas fast bowlers has exploited Gill's limitations from time to time. 

The stylish batter has comparatively better numbers at three than as an opener. However, the Indian think tank might consider allotting him Virat Kohli's number four spot due to some valid reasons. 

• Shubman Gill is a natural stroke-player and can capitalise on the tired pacers as the ball gets older. 
• His ability to use the bottom hand and play all around the park can benefit India in the latter phase of the game. 

Pant To Form India's Lower Middle-Order Core With Nair

(Rishabh Pant's impressive stats in Test cricket)

Karun Nair could be India's first-choice pick for a middle-order slot following his exploits in the Ranji Trophy. The right-handed batter was exceptional for Vidarbha, amassing 863 runs in 16 innings at an average of 53.94. 

Interestingly, Nair batted at four for Vidarbha in the famed domestic tournament. So, India might think to fit him at five, with Gill being the ideal candidate to replace Kohli at four. 

Meanwhile, swashbuckling batter Rishabh Pant is an obvious choice over Dhruv Jurel for the wicketkeeper slot, having performed admirably for India in Test cricket. 

No Siraj; Prasidh, Arshdeep To Be A Part Of India's All-Round Pace Attack?

With Jasprit Bumrah set to lead India's fast bowling attack, India should include Arshdeep Singh for his ability to swing the new ball up front. His left-arm angle makes a strong case for Arshdeep's inclusion in the playing XI. 

Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur, who impressed with bat and ball on India's previous England tour, could get a wildcard entry due to his all-round attributes. Besides scalping eight wickets, Thakur struck 122 runs, including a match-winning twin fifties at The Oval. 

In such a scenario, there could be a toss-up between Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj for the remaining slot. While India might still go ahead with Siraj's experience, Prasidh's extra pace and ability to hit the deck could help him pip the Hyderabad seamer. 

India's Strongest Playing XI For England Test Series

KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna

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