IND vs ENG Playing 11, 1st Test: India vs England Predicted Lineups, Team News

IND vs ENG Playing XI: The new cycle of the World Test Championship is set to get underway, with India taking on England in a high-stakes five-match Test series. The opening Test will be played at Headingley in Leeds, beginning Friday.

With both teams eyeing a spot in the 2025-27 WTC final, a strong start to the series could prove crucial in shaping their campaign.

India, however, will be without some of their stalwarts - Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin - all of whom have stepped away from the format. The responsibility of leading the side into this new era now rests on the shoulders of Shubman Gill, who will be eager to begin his tenure as captain on a winning note.

IND vs ENG Team News, Injury Update

No injury concerns as of now for both the sides. Both the teams will head into the series with a strong side.

IND vs ENG Key Players

On the eve of the series opener, England announced their playing XI, opting to stick with Ollie Pope at the crucial No. 3 position, leaving Jacob Bethell on the sidelines. Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue have been given the nod as the frontline pace duo.

For India, all indications suggest a long-awaited comeback for Karun Nair, who is likely to slot in at No. 3, marking his return to Test cricket after an eight-year absence. The final batting spot appears to be a contest between Nitish Reddy and Sai Sudharsan. Based on what has been observed during training, Reddy - with his all-round skills - is expected to get the nod. His inclusion would give India the flexibility of four seamers in the lineup, with Shardul Thakur likely to feature at No. 8 due to his dual role with bat and ball.

IND vs ENG 1st Test Playing 11: India vs England Predicted Lineups

India Predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.