England vs India 2018: India's predicted playing XI for the first test against England

The Indian team began its hectic tour of England with a bang, by winning the T20 series. But suffered a setback as they lost the 3 match one-day series by a margin of 1-2, including getting beaten by the hosts comprehensively in the final two ODIs.

Now, with the T20 and ODI series done and dusted, the men in blue will look forward to a good performance in the upcoming 5 match test series, and also aim for its first test series win in England since 2007.

The Indian team took one step towards winning its first test series in England since 2007, by announcing a strong 18 man squad consisting of 7 batsmen, 2 wicketkeepers, 3 spinners and 5 fast bowlers, with Hardik Pandya being the sole seam bowling all-rounder for the starting 3 test matches.

The first Test against England begins on August 1 at Edgbaston cricket ground in the beautiful northern city of Birmingham. Hence in this article let us look at the predicted playing XI for the first test against England at Edgbaston:

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#1 Openers

Murali Vijay and KL Rahul

Murali Vijay and KL Rahul are probably India's best opening option for the test series against England.

Ever since India's famed opening duo of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag fell out of favour in 2013, Murali Vijay has gone on to establish himself as India's premier opener in test cricket.

Murali Vijay has also been one of India's best batsmen in test cricket outside the sub-continent, having scored a load of runs in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and England, and hence is expected to be India's first choice opener for the first test against the Englishmen at Edgbaston.

Despite having a good one-day series with the bat, Shikhar Dhawan might not find himself as an opener in the playing XI for the first test, as Karnataka batsman, KL Rahul is technically much more suited to play the moving red ball in English conditions compared to Dhawan.

Also, KL Rahul has been in the form of his life since the beginning of IPL 2018, and it is very important that the Indian team management gives the gifted KL Rahul a long run in all the formats of the game.

#2 Middle order

Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane

Indian skipper Virat Kohli will look to bury the bad memories of 2014 England test tour.

Batting at No.3, will be Cheteshwar Pujara, who despite being the backbone of Indian test batting line-up has failed to fire with the bat outside sub-continent, especially in England and Australia.

But, having recently played the County cricket to get himself accumulated to the English conditions, and also being the only batsmen in the Indian batting line-up who can bat for a longer duration of time, a trait which is particularly important in English conditions, Pujara will finally look to come good with the bat in the test series against England.

Last time when India toured England for the test series, current Indian skipper Virat Kohli had a series to forget. In that particular test tour of 2014, the English fast bowlers especially James Anderson exploited Kohli's tendency to play at deliveries outside the off-stump, as a result of which Kohli was able to score just 135 runs in 10 innings at a very poor average of 13.5.

But, having improved upon his weaknesses of the previous tour, Virat Kohli would finally want to conquer the English bowlers in their own conditions and lead India to its first test series win in England since 2007.

The main reason why India lost the 3 match test series in South Africa in January 2018, was because of their shocking decision to play Rohit Sharma ahead of their best test batsman outside subcontinent Ajinkya Rahane, as a result of which India lost the first two test matches, thereby losing the test series.

But this time around in England, the team management would not want to repeat the mistake of confining Rahane to benches, as Ajinkya Rahane is a key to India's success of winning the test series in England, and also Ajinkya Rahane will want to prove a point after being ignored by the selectors in the recently concluded one-day series against England.

#3 Wicket keeper, All-rounder and Spinner

Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav might be picked ahead of Ashwin and Jadeja for the first test.

An injury to Wriddhiman Saha means that India have gone with two wicketkeepers Dinesh Karthik and young Rishabh Pant for the first 3 tests. Between Karthik and Pant, Karthik is most probably going to play the first test against England at Edgbaston considering Karthik's experience of having previously played test matches in England.

Also, this might be Dinesh Karthik's best chance of establishing himself as a permanent wicket keeping batsmen in the Indian test team, as Dinesh Karthik is technically much better batsman compared to Wriddhiman Saha.

Being the only pace bowling all-rounder in the squad, Hardik Pandya is guaranteed to be picked for the first test against England. But, Hardik Pandya's batting, as well as bowling, leaves a lot to be desired. However, due to lack of quality all-rounders in the domestic circuit, Hardik Pandya's place in the Indian cricket team is certain for time being in all the formats.

Considering the way English batsmen struggled against his mystery spin bowling, The 23-year-old Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav might get a nod to play the first test against England ahead celebrated spin duo of R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, as even skipper Virat Kohli recently hinting that he might be tempted to play Kuldeep in the test matches against England.

#4 Pacers

Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma

Mohammed Shami will have to put behind his personal issues.

Indian test spearhead, Mohammed Shami has had a shocking 2018 off the field which affected his performance in IPL 2018, thereby hampering his chances of returning back to India's ODI fold.

Shami even failed to clear the mandatory Yo-yo test to play the test match against Afghanistan. But, having cleared the Yo-yo test this time around, Shami will look to put behind his off-field and personal issues, and lead India's pace attack against the Englishmen in the test series, as Shami's superb performance with the ball is a key to India's success of winning the test series in England.

Umesh Yadav was confined to benches during India's last away test series against South Africa as Indian team management preferred Jasprit Bumrah ahead of him. But this time around with both Bumrah as well as Bhuvneshwar Kumar out due to injuries, Umesh Yadav is certain to be part of playing XI for the first test against England, which also gives him a chance to regain his place in the Indian test squad.

The third pacer in playing XI for first test against the England at Edgbaston is most probably going to be India's most experienced fast bowler Ishant Sharma. And, also the test series against England is going to be a crucial one for Ishant, as he has fallen down the pecking order to the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah for a place in the test playing XI.