Former India player Abhishek Nayar has named his India playing XI for the first ODI against England. Gujarat Titans (GT) duo Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar failed to get spots in his picked side as well. The first ODI of the three-match series between India and England will take place in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14. While Krishna is among the five
specialist seamers, Washington is one of the three frontline spinners in India’s 15-member squad.

Speaking on the Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues,’ Nayar said, “Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli – no questions asked. Shreyas Iyer at No. 4. The vice-captain has to be there. For me, KL Rahul and Axar Patel will be a switch based on the situation, in case you want a left-hander to come in or you want Shivam Dube to come in. That is slightly the versatility that I would want in my batting order.”

“For me, Shivam Dube, your lone seam-bowling all-rounder, you will require that in England. The ODI format will benefit him if he can hit his line and lengths. From there on, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah – no questions asked. Gurnoor is someone that I am excited about. Having that pace upwards of 140-145 with the bounce, that X-factor that you want to groom, and he can bat a bit as well,” Nayar again shared.

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However, Abhishek Nayar also added that Shubman Gill would be delighted about Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the ODI squad as well.

“Shubman Gill will be the happiest because he (Bumrah) wasn’t playing ODIs at all in the last two years. He was playing T20Is, and India got so many positive results because Jasprit Bumrah was playing. The ODI results were up and down because Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t playing. You will see the difference here as well once Bumrah comes in,” he said.

“Having 10 overs of Bumrah is a nightmare from an opposition’s standpoint. Trust me, this is coming from someone who sits in an opposition dugout in the IPL. When you know you have to literally discount the four overs and start planning for the other 16, it makes other bowlers effective as well because you are trying to target them to score those runs,” Nayar added.

“A lot of Arshdeep’s effectiveness also comes from a Jasprit Bumrah being at the other end. Joe Root, batting for England, is going to be thinking, with the record Bumrah has against him, that Bumrah can get him out, and any spell can turn things in India’s favor. So, Bumrah being back, there will be a happy Gautam Gambhir, a happy Morne Morkel, and a very happy Shubman Gill,” Abhishek Nayar concluded.