Moments before the toss, Sai Sudharsan was handed his maiden Test cap. The southpaw will be number 317 for India. This already solved the number three puzzle, as it was Cheteshwar Pujara, one of India’s best number three batsmen, who handed him his cap. It looked almost certain that Karun Nair would play, and after 8 years, he has returned to India’s Test playing XI. Fascinatingly, Nair was dropped from the Test squad after an England series, and it is against England that he returns.
No place for Kuldeep Yadav or Nitish Reddy
At the toss, Shubman Gill confirmed that Sai will indeed bat at three, and Karun Nair, who batted at the position for India A, returns to the team but at the number six slot. He also confirmed that India is going with a 4+1 bowling attack, four pacers (including all-rounder Shardul Thakur), and one spinner.
The pitch seems very good to bat on, both Gill and Ben Stokes confirmed. And that’s why leaving Kuldeep Yadav might come to bite India back, especially in the latter half of the Headingley Test.
“I would’ve bowled first as well; it might be a bit tough in the first session but it should be good to bat on later. The sun is out; it should be a good batting deck for us. Preparation has been amazing; we played a practice game in Beckenham, and the lads are feeling great. Sai makes his debut, and Karun comes in. Sai will bat at three,” Gill said at the toss.
India Playing XI for 1st England Test
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Bench: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep
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