ENG vs IND: Sai Sudharsan to Test debut against England in first Test

India is already ready to begin their five-match Test series against England at Headingley, Leeds, with several key changes and bold inclusions in their playing XI. Young left-handed batsman Sai Sudharsan will make his Test debut, opening at the pivotal No. 3 spot. The move signals India’s intent to invest in youth while maintaining a balance of experience in their lineup.

The opening duo will be KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who were impressive during the Australia tour but now have to deal with a new challenge in English conditions. Though Rahul can provide stability at the top, Jaiswal has to shake off recent inconsistencies, particularly after struggling against the England Lions and being unable to convert starts in Australia. The management will expect the two to give good starts to share the burden of a relatively inexperienced middle order.

After the openers, Sai Sudharsan occupies the crucial No. 3 position, providing a left-hander early in the innings. He is followed by skipper Shubman Gill, wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, and Karun Nair, who takes the No. 6 slot. India's all-round unit consists of Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Shardul Thakur, the former returning to the team as a seam-bowling all-rounder.

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The bowling attack is spearheaded by paceman Jasprit Bumrah, while Mohammed Siraj rejoins the Test configuration. Prasidh Krishna has been picked as the third seamer, completing India's pace-bowling-friendly approach in light of seaming English pitches. The combination suggests that India is expected to field only one spinner in Jadeja for the initial Test.

India Playing XI vs England – 1st Test, Headingley:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

🚨 INDIAN PLAYING 11 UPDATE 🚨 [Espn Cricinfo]

- Sai Sudharsan to Debut.
- Karun Nair to Bat at 6.
- Shardul Thakur as all rounder.
- Prasidh Krishna as third seamer. pic.twitter.com/FnMYTXat5X

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 20, 2025