The first match of the five-match Test series will be played between India and England from Friday. The match in Leeds will start at 3:30 pm Indian time. At the same time, the toss will take place half an hour before that i.e. at 3 pm. With this Test, the teams of India and England will start their World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. While young Shubman Gill will lead the Indian team, veteran all-rounder Ben Stokes will captain England.

The English team had announced the playing 11 on Wednesday itself. At the same time, Team India will announce it just before the toss. However, the struggle for the Indian playing 11 is still going on. Eight players of the Indian playing-11 are almost decided, while the team management and head coach Gautam Gambhir have to brainstorm about three places. There is a battle between Sai Sudarshan, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Shardul Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav for these places. Let us know what India's playing 11...

Rahul and Yashasvi are sure to open.

A young Team India will enter this series under the leadership of Gill. Only time will tell which player will perform well to fill the vacancies of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after they retire from Tests, but the biggest question is who should be tried in their place. There is every possibility of KL Rahul replacing Rohit as an opener. Rahul's record in England has also been excellent and his experience along with young Yashasvi Jaiswal can come in handy.

This is Yashasvi's first tour of England, while Rahul has scored 614 runs in 18 innings of nine matches there at an average of 34.11. These include two centuries and a half-century. At the same time, vice-captain Rishabh Pant had said in the press conference on Wednesday that number four and five have been decided. Captain Shubman Gill will come out to bat at number four vacated by Virat Kohli, while Pant will continue to bat at number five. The entire responsibility of the middle order will be on the strong shoulders of these two.

Who will get a chance among Arshdeep, Prasidh and Akash?

At the same time, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is certain to play as a spinner. At the same time, the responsibility of fast bowling will be on the shoulders of experienced Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Siraj. Both of them are almost certain to play. Prasidh Krishna is almost certain to play as the third pacer. His hit-the-deck ball can prove to be fatal on the Leeds pitch. However, he may compete with Arshdeep Singh in the playing 11.

India's probable playing 11 for the first Test against England

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Karun Nair/Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

England's announced playing 11 for the first Test match.

Jack Crowley, Ben Duckett, ⁠Ollie Pope, Joe Root, ⁠Harry Brook, ⁠Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, ⁠Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

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