Ajinkya Rahane opts against Karun Nair in his India XI for first Test; explains why

Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair

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Shubman’s Big Test Begins! India’s Probable XI & Stokes’ Mind Games | ENG vs IND 1st Test Preview

Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has shared his predicted playing eleven for India's upcoming first Test against England at Headingley, starting Friday, June 20. In his YouTube channel video, Rahane excluded Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna while selecting three debutants - Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, and Arshdeep Singh - in a team that will be led by Shubman Gill in the absence of several senior players.The Indian Test team will be without regular players including Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma , Mohammed Shami, and Cheteshwar Pujara for this England series. This has created opportunities for new players to make their mark in the Test arena.Rahane's predicted lineup features KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as openers, with newcomer Sai Sudharsan at number three. The newly appointed captain Shubman Gill is positioned at number four in the batting order.The middle order in Rahane's selection includes Dhruv Jurel at number five and Rishabh Pant as wicketkeeper at number six. The all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur follow in the lineup.The bowling attack comprises Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, with debutant left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh as the third seamer. This selection notably leaves out Karun Nair, who is making a comeback after eight years of domestic success, and IPL 2025 Purple Cap winner Prasidh Krishna.Vice-captain Rishabh Pant has confirmed his position at number five in the batting order, which means the team management will need to decide between positions three and six for the remaining players.Quiz: Who's that IPL player? Rahane shared his thoughts on Gill's first Test captaincy assignment, acknowledging the challenges of transitioning from T20 leadership to Test match captaincy."I think it's going to be a challenging task for Shubman because in Test cricket I always believe you have to be proactive as a captain. I'm sure Shubman will do well, but it will take time because captaining in T20s and ODIs is completely different. In the Test format, sometimes you have to stay one or two steps ahead of your opponents, talk to your bowlers, and plan things with them. So, it's going to be a challenging task for him, but I'm sure he will do well as both a skipper and a batter," Rahane stated in his video.Ajinkya Rahane's predicted playing eleven consists of: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh.The selection reflects a mix of experience and new talent as India prepares to face England in challenging conditions at Headingley. The absence of senior players has opened doors for emerging cricketers to showcase their abilities in the Test format.The team composition shows a balance between batting depth and bowling variety, with three pace bowlers, one spinner, and two all-rounders in the mix. This combination will be crucial for India's chances in English conditions.

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