India's Young Cricket Squad Gears Up for England Test Series
A New Era for Indian Cricket
Leeds [UK], June 20: The Indian cricket team is brimming with confidence as they prepare for their series opener against England at Headingley, a venue that has eluded them since 2002.
A fresh chapter in Indian cricket is about to unfold, as the team embarks on this journey without stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who recently announced their retirement from Test cricket. Additionally, the experienced off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also concluded his international career during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
KL Rahul, a seasoned player, expressed optimism about the new squad in a video shared by the BCCI on X, stating, "This is a new group. We are missing a few senior players, and yes, it is a young team led by a really young captain."
Shubman Gill, recognized as Rohit's long-term successor, has taken on the role of Test captain. He aims to restore India's former glory in Test cricket, which has been questioned following disappointing performances against New Zealand and Australia, leading to their failure to reach the World Test Championship final despite being favorites.
Despite the inexperience, the youngest Test captain in Indian history sees the bright side of having a youthful team, saying, "Everyone is so young, and it will be relatively easy and exciting to mold this team into what we want for the next 10-15 years of Indian cricket."
In response to the departures of Ashwin, Rohit, and Virat, India has infused fresh talent and skilled players into the squad. Ravindra Jadeja, one of the senior members, commented on the team's balance, stating, "As a team, our balance is very good. We will play good cricket."
Shardul Thakur, who has played four of his 11 Tests in England, is eager to embrace the challenges posed by the English conditions, noting, "I think it is very exciting to play in this part of the world. Sometimes it is cloudy, and sometimes it is bright sunny, and as a player, you need to make adjustments to your game, whether you are batting or bowling."
As the five-Test series marks the start of India's campaign in the new World Test Championship cycle, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav emphasized the significance of these matches, stating, "This is a big series, and if we win, it will be a massive achievement."
Arshdeep Singh, who received his first call-up, remarked, "To start off, it is said that this is a tough series; if we handle it well, it will be fun."
Young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed fans with his performances in Australia, expressed his excitement for the upcoming series, saying, "It always pumps you up, and I just can't wait to give my best in this England series."
Mohammed Siraj, a frontline speedster, shared his pride in being part of such a talented group, while Prasidh Krishna, who finished IPL 2025 with the Purple Cap, hopes for a joyful victory in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, stating, "All of us are upbeat, always joking around. If that fun leads to winning a tournament here, it will be great. We might even come up with a dance for celebration."
India's squad includes: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.