Ravichandran Ashwin picks his India 11, predicts highest run-scorer and wicket-taker ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked his preferred Team India playing XI for the first Test against England, scheduled to begin from Friday, June 20, onwards, at Headingley, Leeds. The ex-cricketer named only one spinner in the team, while also including both Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the batting department.

Major changes to the batting unit are inevitable following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Newly-appointed vice-captain Rishabh Pant confirmed during the pre-match press conference that he would be batting at No.5 while Shubman Gill takes up the No.4 slot.

Ashwin backed Sai Sudharsan to excel at No.3, while picking Shardul Thakur over Nitish Kumar Reddy as the fast bowling all-rounder.

"KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna," Ashwin named his playing XI for the series opener.

"For No.6 it could be either Karun Nair or Dhruv Jurel. You cannot ignore Karun's form, but I think there is a chance that Jurel comes into the mix. When Bumrah broke down in Australia, we did not have bowling options. So at No.8 do you play Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, or another frontline pacer?" Ashwin said of the team combination on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin backed Chris Woakes to emerge as the leading wicket-taker for England in the five-match series as the bowling spearhead amid an injury crisis. The former bowler initially picked KL Rahul as the leading run-scorer for India in the series, but changed his pick to Rishabh Pant since the new ball might get the better of the opening batter.

"If Chris Woakes plays all five matches, I would say he would be the leading wicket-taker of the series, or maybe even Shoaib Bashir. From India, since Bumrah will not play all matches, I think Siraj will be the leading wicket-taker. Have to go with KL Rahul as the leading run-scorer, but because he is opening the batting, he might have a few first innings glitches. So, I will go with Rishabh Pant instead. Rishabh can only get himself out. Can't look past Joe Root for England, while Ben Duckett is also a good shout," Ashwin added.

The last time India and England played each other in a Test series on English soil, Joe Root and Jasprit Bumrah ended up as the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker, respectively.

"India have a great chance" - R Ashwin backs the Men in Blue to excel on flat pitches

Since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's takeover of the Test side in 2022, a positive brand of cricket has been the norm. However, for its execution, flat pitches are a necessity. While England have excelled on such type of pitches in the past due to their sheer batting prowess, they do not have the same license this time around due to an inferior pace bowling department.

Ashwin opined that England's best chance is to produce pitches that are good for bowling to unsettle the new-look Indian batting outfit.

"If England go the route of high-scoring games with flat pitches, with Kuldeep Yadav and this Indian batting line up, and trying to get Shoaib Bashir to knock over Indian batters who are fine players of spin, India have a great chance. But, if the play in pitches with a bit of life, I think the Indian quicks will be in play, and the Indian batters will be tested. That gives England a better chance," Ashwin opined.

The last Test that India played against England away from home saw Ben Stokes and co. chase down 378 in the final innings at Edgbaston.