Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AP

A brand new Indian Test team, with Shubman Gill as captain for the first time, is about to play a five-match series against England. The first match starts on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, and this series also marks the beginning of the new World Test Championship cycle.

India’s team is very young now. Famous players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R Ashwin have retired from Test cricket. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is also missing due to injury. Because of this, Gill has become captain, and Rishabh Pant is the new vice-captain.

Playing in England is always tough for Indian teams. Out of 18 tours to England since 1932, India has only won three Test series there, the last time being in 2007. The English pitches are good for fast bowlers, so Indian batters will need to be very careful and strong in their technique.

England’s team, led by Ben Stokes, plays an aggressive style called “Baseball.” Since 2022, they have not lost a home Test series, and they are very confident playing at home.

India’s squad has many new faces. Young batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, and Abhimanyu Easwaran are expected to play important roles. KL Rahul is now the most experienced batter. The bowling attack will depend a lot on Jasprit Bumrah, but his fitness is a concern. Other bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Arshdeep Singh will need to step up.

This series is a big test for Gill as captain and for coach Gautam Gambhir. If India’s young players perform well, they can start a new era in Indian cricket, just like in 1971 when Ajit Wadekar led a young team to victory in England.