Ravi Shastri Picks India XI For 1st Test Vs England: 'Debut For Sai Sudarshan..'

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Ravi Shastri suggests Sai Sudharsan debut at No.3 and Karun Nair at No.5, either side of Shubman Gill, in India's Test opener against England.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri is advocating for young Sai Sudharsan to make his Test debut and bat at the crucial No.3 position in the series opener against England, with Karun Nair at number five following an impressive run in first-class cricket.
The first of the five-match series begins on Friday, marking Shubman Gill's debut assignment as India captain.
'It would be Yashasvi Jaiswal, and with him will be KL Rahul, because I think this is a big tour for him. He's the most experienced of the batsmen," Shastri said on the ICC Review on Tuesday.
'Rahul opened last time when India toured England, scored a century, and had a good tour. So I would hope for him to open the innings.
'For No.3, I'll go with the youngster, Sai Sudharsan. Whatever I've seen of him, he's very impressive. This will be good exposure for him, this tour."
The 23-year-old Sudharsan is in excellent form, having recently become the youngest player to score 700 runs in a single IPL season after a successful stint in first-class cricket.
In Shastri's preferred line-up for the first Test, the top-three batters are joined by the new Test captain at No.4, who previously batted at No.3 in his first 32 Test matches.
Based on current form, Shastri believes Karun Nair, who has returned to the Test team after an eight-year hiatus, should be the ideal choice at No.5 at Headingley.
Alongside his remarkable performance in first-class cricket, Nair's experience of county cricket also works in his favour.
'In all probability, depending on what current form is, it'll be Karun Nair. He bats at five, it's a long time since he played for India. Six will be (Rishabh) Pant.
'I think he (Nair) has worked really hard. He's just worked his way back into the side. The number of runs he's got in first-class cricket is incredible.
'And I met him during an IPL game. I said, 'don't just bang the door. Just kick it down and make your way in and walk into that side'. And I think he's done just that. Just the number of runs that he's got has made the selectors look in that direction and give him a place," Shastri said.
Regarding the bowling attack, Shastri suggests going with three pacers considering the conditions in Leeds.
'It'll be a tough choice between Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy, but you need to see who can bowl more. If Reddy can give you 12-14 overs, he might get the nod because of his batting.
'The three fast bowlers I would choose are Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.
'In Leeds, if the weather is overcast and cloudy, there might be a temptation to go with the left-armer Arshdeep Singh as well. So it will be Prasidh Krishna/Arshdeep, but the other two will be Siraj and Bumrah."
India last won a Test series in England in 2007.
First Published:
June 17, 2025, 22:47 IST