Aakash Chopra picks India's probable XI for ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test, expects Shubman Gill to bat at No. 4

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has picked India's probable XI for the first Test against England. He expects Shubman Gill to bat at No. 4, highlighting that it could be the stylish batter's long-term batting position in the longest format.

India will tour England for a five-Test series, with the first game starting in Leeds on June 20. The visitors will have a relatively inexperienced side, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin having announced their retirements from Tests.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India batter chose Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as his openers, highlighting that they fared well at the top of the order in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

"I am going with Yashasvi Jaiswal, with KL Rahul alongside him. One doesn't have to think much. Both did well in the BGT as well. This will be Yashasvi's first England tour. So I really hope that he does well. The last England tour was good for KL Rahul, but you cannot start the tour well and finish poorly," he said (6:40).

Chopra opined that either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal will likely bat at No. 3, although the latter might be ruled out of the tour.

"At No. 3, it could be either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal. Maybe Devdutt Padikkal is ahead in that race because he was seen playing recently in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and debuted in Dharamsala before that. Sai Sudharsan is slightly out of the box, but you feel he can play at No. 3 because of the excellent form he is in," he observed.

The former India opener reckoned that Shubman Gill would be named the captain and bat at No. 4.

"This means captain Shubman Gill will go to No. 4. Firstly, I am saying he will become the captain. That's what the reports are suggesting. I see him going down the order. This is where he will settle down, as a No. 4 batter for India in Test matches," Chopra noted.

While picking Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper-batter at No. 5, Chopra chose Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel for the No. 6 position.

"Rishabh Pant at No. 5, and I am thinking Nitish Kumar Reddy at No. 6. There are many contenders for this slot. Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel will be among the contenders, but I am going towards Nitish Kumar Reddy because he scored a hundred in Melbourne," he reasoned.

Nitish Kumar Reddy scored 298 runs at an average of 37.25 in nine innings in BGT 2024-25. He played a fighting 114-run knock in India's 184-run loss in last year's Boxing Day Test.

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"Since Ashwin is not there anymore, you should go with Ravindra Jadeja" - Aakash Chopra on choice of spinner for ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Ravindra Jadeja has generally been India's preferred spin-bowling all-rounder in overseas Tests. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Ravindra Jadeja should be India's preferred spinner, although he acknowledged that Washington Sundar could play ahead of him.

"I am saying Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7. Since Ashwin is not there anymore, you should go with Ravindra Jadeja. He can play the defensive role at Leeds. The team might play Washington Sundar because there will be a lot of left-handers in the opposition, but I am putting Jadeja at No. 7," he said (8:30).

The analyst reckoned that India should play either Shardul Thakur or Deepak Chahar as a seam-bowling all-rounder.

"At No. 8, I am thinking either Shardul Thakur or Deepak Chahar. You will get depth in batting as well. Both will like those conditions. Basically they are bowlers who can bat a bit, but you are not compromising on the bowling," Chopra observed.

Chopra noted that either Mohammad Shami or Prasidh Krishna could be the third specialist seamer alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, depending on the veteran Bengal seamer's fitness.

"Then Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Shami, if he is fit and available, or else I will think about Prasidh Krishna. There will be a question on whether you can think about Arshdeep Singh as a left-armer, and what about Akash Deep and Harshit Rana? All of them will be in the mix, but I see an XI like this," he stated.

Aakash Chopra's probable India XI for ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan/Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami/Prasidh Krishna