India vs England 1st Test preview: No Kohli, No Rohit, No Ashwin — Can India start strong in the first test?

Mint

5 hours ago

It's a new dawn for Indian cricket, with a new Test captain, a relatively new coach, and fresh faces in the XI. India is already without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin, and for two of the five Tests against England, they will also be without Jasprit Bumrah. That leaves a massive void in skills and experience for Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir. How they handle that challenge and how the rest of the squad steps up will determine the course of the series.
England has traditionally been seamer-friendly, but the hot and dry summer of 2025 could bring batters and spinners into the game more than usual, particularly at Headingley. Three county games have been played at the venue this year: in one, Yorkshire piled on the runs; in the other two, bowlers dominated. However, those matches were played in April and May, and the pitch has since had six weeks of summer to bake further.
England have named only one spinner in their XI, suggesting they don't expect spin to play a central role in the first Test.
Two batting spots and two bowling/all-rounder spots are up for grabs. The leading contenders among the batters are Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair, polar opposites in many ways. Sudharsan lacks a strong first-class record, while Nair has been prolific. Sudharsan is young and raw, Nair a seasoned campaigner. Sudharsan is eyeing his debut, and Nair is on the comeback trail. Yet both appear ready. Despite his lack of experience, Sudharsan has impressed all who've seen him bat. Nair, meanwhile, has made his case with sheer weight of runs.
The open spots in the XI are at Nos. 3 and 6. Whether Sudharsan or Nair bats there remains to be seen. Rishabh Pant has indicated he'll bat at No. 5, with Gill at No. 4.
Among the bowlers, Bumrah has confirmed he will play the first Test. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are likely to partner him. Beyond that, India faces a choice between batting depth and bowling variety. If spin is expected to play a role, Kuldeep Yadav becomes a strong candidate. Otherwise, Ravindra Jadeja offers balance with his batting and ability to hold one end with the ball. If India goes with a fourth seamer, Shardul Thakur's batting ability could give him the edge.
Who India picks will offer a clue to their broader plan for the series.
England have confirmed their XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir.
On paper, the batting looks stronger than the bowling. India will be relieved that Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have asked James Anderson to step aside. Yet, even without him, England's bowling attack is well suited to home conditions. The batting, especially the middle order, is capable of taking the game away from any opposition.
England's potential vulnerability lies in early wickets. If the top order lays a solid foundation, Root, Brook, and Stokes could take control.
The aggressive brand of cricket England has adopted under Stokes and McCullum is exciting, but it could open doors for India to exploit.
If there is a result in the first Test, the losing side could face an uphill battle for the rest of the series. While a five-Test series provides room to recover, an early defeat can shift momentum decisively. Winning the opener and setting the tone will be the aim for both teams.