Ravi Shastri Names KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as Openers for England Tour Opener. Former India head coach and current commentator Ravi Shastri has picked his playing XI for the Indian team ahead of the first Test against England. Shastri has chosen KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings in the much-anticipated five-match Test series.
Led by new captain Shubman Gill, India will take on Ben Stokes’ England side in the opening Test at Headingley, Leeds, from June 20 to 24. This series marks the beginning of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle for both teams.
England, meanwhile, have named their squad for the first Test but will be without three of their key pace bowlers. Mark Wood is ruled out of the first three Tests, Jofra Archer will miss the Headingley clash due to a thumb injury but could return for the second Test, and Gus Atkinson continues his recovery from a hamstring issue.
The five-match series will wrap up with the final Test at The Oval in London, scheduled from July 31 to August 4.
Ravi Shastri Names KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as Openers for Headingley Test
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has revealed his preferred playing XI for the upcoming Headingley Test against England. Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri picked KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings, placing Shubman Gill at No. 4 and backing young Sai Sudharsan to bat at one-down.
“It would be (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and KL Rahul opening. This is a big tour for Rahul — he’s the most experienced batsman in this group. He opened on the last tour of England, scored a hundred, and had a solid series. So I’d want him to open again,” said Shastri.
Ravi Shastri: At No. 3, Shastri gave the nod to Sai Sudharsan. “From what I’ve seen of him, he’s very impressive. This tour will be excellent exposure for him,” he added.
On the bowling front, Ravi Shastri went with a pace-heavy attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. He slotted Shardul Thakur as the fourth seamer but mentioned Nitish Kumar Reddy as a strong alternative based on workload and batting depth.
“I’d go with three fast bowlers and Shardul Thakur. It’s a tough call between him and Nitish Reddy. If Reddy can bowl you 12 to 14 overs, he might get the nod due to his batting skills,” said the 63-year-old.
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Opener | KL Rahul |
| Opener | Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| No. 3 | Sai Sudharsan |
| No. 4 | Shubman Gill |
| No. 5 | Karun Nair |
| No. 6 (Wicketkeeper) | Rishabh Pant (wk) |
| No. 7 (All-rounder) | Ravindra Jadeja |
| No. 8 (Seamer) | Shardul Thakur / Nitish Reddy |
| No. 9 (Pacer) | Mohammed Siraj |
| No.10 (Pacer) | Jasprit Bumrah |
| No.11 (Pacer) | Prasidh Krishna |
