Ajinkya Rahane, who led India to a historic Test series win in Australia in 2020-21, has shared his predicted playing XI for India’s first Test against England at Headingley on June 20. Interestingly, two prominent names—Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna—didn’t cut Rahane’s eleven, despite recent form and growing anticipation around their roles.
Rahane, currently out of India’s Test setup, acknowledged the changing face of the team with the absence of stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Mohammed Shami. Their absence paves the way for fresh faces and comeback stories, with Karun Nair returning after eight years of grinding in domestic cricket and Prasidh Krishna riding high on his IPL 2025 Purple Cap-winning performance.
ALSO READ: Dinesh Karthik Predicts Strategic Use of Jasprit Bumrah for England Tests
Despite this, Rahane’s preferred XI, shared on his YouTube channel, featured KL Rahul partnering Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top, with Sai Sudharsan—poised for a debut—at No. 3. He placed new captain Shubman Gill at No. 4, followed by Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant, and the all-round duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur.
Notably, Rishabh Pant, now vice-captain, has already confirmed he’ll bat at No. 5, indicating potential flexibility around spots 3 and 6. Rahane emphasised that Gill’s transition from IPL captaincy to leading in the rigours of Test cricket won’t be easy.
ALSO READ: Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson Unveil New Trophy to Redefine India-England Test Rivalry
“It’s going to be a big challenge for Shubman,” Ajinkya Rahane said. “Test captaincy is about being proactive, staying a step ahead, working closely with your bowlers. It’s very different from white-ball formats. But he’s got the temperament and skill to grow into the role. It will take time, but I believe he’ll do well—both as a leader and a batter.”
Ajinkya Rahane’s predicted 11: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh.
