"Who will fill the big vacant places?" - Aakash Chopra on India's probable XI for ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that the Indian team has a couple of big vacancies to fill in their batting order for the first Test against England. He pointed out that the visitors will go into the series opener with a relatively new batting lineup.

India and England will square off in a five-match Test series, with the first game starting in Leeds on Friday, June 20. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Tests, a couple of places in the batting order are up for grabs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener highlighted the available spots in the visitors' batting lineup but opined that KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are virtual certainties at the top of the order.

"Who will fill the big vacant places? The top order is going to be really, really new for Team India. It's simple, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, the two openers. There shouldn't be any debate there, although there will be slight pressure on Yashasvi as he hasn't scored runs thus far," he said (3:25).

The cricketer-turned-commentator gave a couple of options for the middle-order positions.

"It could be Shubman Gill at No. 3 and Karun Nair at No. 4, or vice versa, or else Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, Shubman at No. 4, Rishabh Pant at No. 5, and Karun Nair at No. 6. That is also a possibility. I feel it will take a little time to settle," Chopra observed.

Chopra urged the Indian think tank to give the chosen batting lineup a long run.

"However, one thing is important. When you do something in the first match, you have to do it slightly from the point of view of continuity. If you make changes frequently, it will seem like the confidence is less. I am hoping that they think it through. Whatever is your top six, stick with it for a bit longer," he elaborated.

Rishabh Pant confirmed in Wednesday's (June 18) press conference that Shubman Gill and he will bat at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. The visitors need to decide their No. 3 and No. 6 batters in such a scenario.

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"I am still thinking Sai Sudharsan at No. 3" - Aakash Chopra on his preferred Indian XI for ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Sai Sudharsan was the Orange Cap winner in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that he would stick to his previously chosen playing XI, with Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair batting at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively.

"I will stick with the playing XI I had spoken about earlier. KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, I am still thinking Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, Shubman Gill at No. 4, Rishabh Pant at No. 5, Karun Nair at No. 6, Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7, Shardul Thakur at No. 8, Jasprit Bumrah at No. 9, and then Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna," he said (7:35).

The analyst reckoned that Nitish Kumar Reddy needs to bat in the top six if he has to be a part of the XI, and Shardul Thakur should be the preferred seam-bowling all-rounder.

"If you wish to play Nitish Kumar Reddy, you will have to think about playing either Karun Nair or Shubman Gill at No. 3, and then you will have to rejig everything. If you wish to play Nitish Kumar Reddy below No. 6, don't play him. Play Shardul Thakur," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Shardul Thakur scored a hundred in the intra-squad game and picked up wickets as well. He added that the Mumbai all-rounder has experience of playing in England and should be the fourth pacer, who can bat at No. 8.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer