Former India player Aakash Chopra has named his Indian playing XI for the first Test against England. The in-form Karun Nair, who scored 204 runs in India A’s first innings of the drawn first unofficial Test against England Lions, failed to get a place in his picked side as well. However, Team India will lock horns against England in a five-match Test series, with the first game taking place in Leeds on June 20.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Chopra said, “Shubman Gill is, of course, the captain. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers, Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, Shubman Gill at No. 4, and then Rishabh Pant. I am still playing Nitish Kumar Reddy at No. 6 as a batter who can give you a few overs, but primarily as a batter. Then Ravindra Jadeja, who is my all-rounder. Shardul Thakur is my all-rounder, but Shardul Thakur in English conditions, at the Leeds ground, is more of a bowler who can bat. I am considering him as a full bowling option. Then Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.”

However, Aakash Chopra also shared his views on not picking Karun Nair. But he said that Nitish Kumar Reddy should play ahead of Nair as well.

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“There will be temptation, there is no doubt about that. However, it needs to be considered who is playing where. If Shubman Gill decides he will remain at No. 3, you can play Karun Nair at No. 4. If Shubman Gill wishes to go to No. 3, I am going to put Karun Nair at No. 4,” he added.

“At No. 6, are we going to ignore Nitish Kumar Reddy’s Boxing Day hundred? Then why did we celebrate it? If he has already scored a hundred in the Boxing Day Test, where no one scored runs, if we don’t reward that, how will we prepare Test cricketers?” Chopra shared.

Aakash Chopra’s Indian XI for 1st Test vs England:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna