India Eyes England's Weakened Pace Attack in First Test

Gill Era Begins: India Eyes England’s Weakened Pace Attack in First Test

Leeds, England: A new chapter in Indian Test cricket is set to unfold on Friday, June 20, as Shubman Gill leads the team in his first Test as captain against England. This series, also marking the beginning of a new World Test Championship cycle for both sides, is particularly significant as India enters without any of the stalwarts who defined their Test cricket for the past 14 years: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma. Their abrupt retirements have thrust a largely new generation into the spotlight, starting with a challenging away series in England.

Despite the daunting task of replicating the successes of the previous era, India faces an England bowling attack that is notably weaker than those encountered in previous tours. Key pacers Mark Wood and Olly Stone are sidelined with long-term injuries, and while Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson might feature later in the series, they are unavailable for the first Test.

This leaves England heavily reliant on a pace attack featuring Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue, who collectively possess only eight Test caps. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, with 16 Tests, is their primary spin option. With no genuine fifth bowler, England may also need to increase Ben Stokes’ bowling workload. In this context, veteran Chris Woakes becomes crucial. With 57 Tests and nearly 200 wickets, Woakes boasts an exceptional home record of 137 wickets at an average of 21.59, and has stepped up as a senior bowler in recent months, taking 31 wickets at 23.58 in eight post-Anderson Tests.

For India, Shubman Gill takes on the captaincy, a role he appears destined for, succeeding Virat Kohli as the defining face of Indian cricket. While his current Test batting average stands at 35.05 (a figure somewhat skewed by challenging pitches), Gill, with his immense talent, will be eager to make a strong statement in his maiden series as captain.

Gill will bat at No. 4, the slot vacated by Kohli, and Rishabh Pant will take the No. 5 position. India’s biggest selection dilemmas remain at Nos. 3 and 6, with contenders including Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and uncapped players B Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran. There’s even a possibility of playing three of these five, potentially including Reddy as a seam-bowling all-rounder, to deepen the batting. If India opts for a more balanced attack, the No. 8 slot will likely be contested between all-rounder Shardul Thakur and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are confirmed as the primary fast bowlers, supported by either Prasidh Krishna (for height and bounce), Akash Deep (for accuracy and seam), or Arshdeep Singh (for left-arm swing).

India (Probable XI for 1st Test):