India’s Likely Playing XI for Leeds Test: Karun Nair Set for Comeback Against England
As the anticipation builds for the first Test of the much-awaited India-England series at Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Team India held an optional net session on the eve of the match. With the coin toss just hours away, all eyes are on the visitors’ lineup, which remains under wraps. Captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir have kept their cards close, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the series opener.
The conditions at Headingley were hot and dry, with the unforgiving sun beating down on the players who turned up for the afternoon session. Notably, several key names including Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Shardul Thakur, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar skipped the optional nets, possibly preserving energy for the big day.
Among the major talking points from the session was the potential return of Karun Nair to the Test fold. Nair, who last played a Test in 2017 and famously scored a triple century against England, was seen honing his skills across all practice surfaces. Sources suggest he is likely to slot into the crucial No. 3 position, bringing experience to a relatively young top order. If confirmed, this marks a significant comeback for the 32-year-old Karnataka batter.
Captain Gill, along with coach Gambhir, took a brief but focused look at the Headingley pitch, which is expected to offer pace and bounce early on, potentially favoring seamers. Gill later revealed that the team management has ‘one or two options’ ready and will finalize the XI after a final pitch assessment on match day. In the nets, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal enjoyed extended batting stints, while Gill himself batted for a marathon duration. Ravindra Jadeja also spent considerable time refining his batting before engaging in a detailed discussion with Gambhir, hinting at his all-round role in the game plan.
The batting unit seems to be taking shape with Rahul, Jaiswal, Nair, Gill, Pant, and Jadeja likely forming the top six. On the bowling front, pace spearheads Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are near-certainties, leaving three spots up for grabs. The management faces a tough call on balancing the side with all-rounders and specialist bowlers. Both Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy are in contention, offering valuable batting depth alongside their seam-bowling skills—a critical factor on a challenging track like Headingley.
For the third seamer’s role, Prasidh Krishna appears to have an edge, especially as Arshdeep Singh bowled an unusually long spell in the nets, a sign he might not feature in the starting XI. However, the bigger dilemma revolves around spinner Kuldeep Yadav. The chinaman bowler, effective in dry conditions like the ones expected in Leeds, bowled extensively and batted for a decent period. Yet, including him could mean sacrificing batting depth, a risk the team might not take on a seamer-friendly surface.
India’s team management must weigh their priorities—opt for an extra spinner to exploit any turn later in the Test or bolster the lower order with an all-rounder for a longer batting tail. Historically, India has struggled at Headingley, with their last win here dating back to 1986 under Kapil Dev’s captaincy. A balanced XI will be crucial to overturn that record against a formidable England side led by Ben Stokes.
As things stand, a possible Playing XI for India could be: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj. However, the final call on Kuldeep’s inclusion remains a tantalizing mystery, one that could define India’s strategy in this crucial opener.
With the stage set and both teams gearing up for an intense battle, Headingley promises to deliver a spectacle. Will India’s bold selections pay off, or will England capitalize on home advantage? Stay tuned as we bring you every update from this blockbuster Test series!