India vs England: Aakash Chopra picks India playing XI for the 1st Test

After the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season, the entire cricketing focus will shift towards the England vs India five-match Test series. England are scheduled to host the visiting Indian team in the opening Test match starting from June 20, 2025 at the Headingley in Leeds. The Indian team management and the national selectors have some important decisions to take before the visitors take the flight to England. A lot of vital calls need to be made especially after the legendary duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their respective retirements from Test cricket. In the meanwhile, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has picked the India playing XI for the first Test match against England. 

With the retirements of seasoned stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, India is expected to field a relatively inexperienced squad for the upcoming Test assignments. Cricket analyst Aakash Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, weighed in on the possible new-look batting order. He began by suggesting a positional shift for Shubman Gill, predicting that the young batter could be slotted at number four to anchor the middle order. For the number three slot, Chopra has backed promising youngsters Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal, both of whom have impressed in domestic and IPL cricket with their temperament and strokeplay.

However, one of the more surprising decisions from Chopra was his preference for all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy over more established and in-form names like Sarfaraz Khan, Karun Nair, and Dhruv Jurel. While Reddy’s recent performances have caught attention, Chopra’s call to pick him ahead of players with stronger red-ball credentials has sparked debate. The move points towards a shift in team strategy that prioritizes long-term potential and all-round versatility over immediate consistency. As India heads into a new World Test Championship cycle, it remains to be seen how selectors balance youth, form, and experience in shaping the next core of the Test side.

The 47-year-old cricket analyst shared his thoughts on India's potential Test XI following the retirement of several senior players. While discussing team composition, he emphasized stability in the lower order by backing Ravindra Jadeja to retain the number seven spot, citing his all-round abilities and experience. For the third specialist seamer role, Chopra mentioned Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna as strong contenders, depending on fitness and conditions.

One of the more intriguing suggestions from Chopra was the inclusion of either Shardul Thakur or Deepak Chahar at number eight. He highlighted their dual skills with bat and ball, underlining how their presence could add much-needed depth and balance to the side. With both capable of contributing useful lower-order runs and playing a supporting role with the ball, Chopra believes their inclusion would provide India with versatility and a stronger tail-end—crucial assets in closely contested Test matches.

Aakash Chopra's India playing XI for 1st Test against England

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, Mohammed Shami/Prasidh Krishna.