Former star all-rounder Irfan Pathan has suggested his ideal starting lineup for the opening match ahead of the eagerly awaited match. The 2018 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for Team India will begin with a five-match Test series against England. Headingley in Leeds will host the opening match of the five-day series, which is scheduled to start on June 20.
Shubman Gill will lead the team, and Rishabh Pant will serve as the official vice-captain. Of the team’s many choices, Irfan Pathan believes that KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the two best candidates to start the innings. Karun Nair, a comeback player, has been selected by Irfan Pathan to lead the affairs and offer a solid backbone to the top order at number three. Gill and Pant have been confirmed to play at four and five, so the former cricket player is certain to select the two most important positions in the middle order.
The Baroda native claims that the team’s premier all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, will serve as both the team’s speciality spinner and bat at number six. Although speculations suggested that just one of the two will play at Headingley, fast-bowling all-rounders Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy have both won spots in his ideal playing combination.
Nonetheless, Irfan Pathan selected both of them to provide the batting unit with additional depth.
With the pace department appearing to be India’s strongest suit heading into this series, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the bowling assault. In the forthcoming series, Irfan Pathan anticipates that Bumrah will be at his peak and set an example for the team, with Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj serving as his co-conspirators. Overall, the 40-year-old, who will also be enjoying a commentary role for the series, has selected a strong lineup that can help India grab a 1-0 lead and win the opening Test.
Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair, and KL Rahul make up Irfan Pathan’s India starting XI for the first Test.
The bowling lineup that England uses is the most inexperienced.
For the match starting on Friday, England has already announced their starting lineup. Although the Ben Stokes-led team is launching its most inexperienced bowling assault in the past several decades, the return of players like Chris Woakes may be encouraging for the Three Lions.
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Josh Tongue, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, and Shoaib Bashir are the members of England’s first-test playing eleven.
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