Pace, depth, balance: India’s selection conundrums for England series opener

As the much-anticipated Test series between India and England draws closer, the Men in Blue face a flurry of unresolved questions, ranging from lineup composition to squad depth, worsened by inconsistent form and the recent retirement of senior players.

Who takes over the crown at No. 4?

India’s number four batting spot, once occupied by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar (13,492 runs in 177 Tests at 54.40, including 44 centuries) and later Virat Kohli (7,564 runs in 98 Tests at 56.88, with 26 centuries), remains one of the most iconic but unsettled positions in the current lineup. While KL Rahul is expected to slot into the top order in place of Rohit Sharma, the number four role remains under scrutiny.

Many pundits have pushed for Shubman Gill to be given that position. However, while Gill has performed well at number three at home, notching three centuries and three fifties, his struggles abroad have raised concern. Karun Nair, returning after eight years, Sai Sudharsan, or in a wildcard move, Dhruv Jurel, have also been floated as contenders by Wisden.

Should India play five bowlers or fewer?

Under Virat Kohli’s leadership, India leaned heavily on a five-bowler strategy, focused on taking 20 wickets regardless of batting depth. This approach was largely retained during the Rohit-Dravid tenure. However, Gautam Gambhir’s brief stint in Australia introduced a shift, fielding three specialist bowlers alongside three all-rounders. While this provided more batting cushion, it inadvertently overburdened Jasprit Bumrah and led to his injury ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, with India eventually losing the series 3-1.

Currently, with no clear number eight, Ravindra Jadeja is likely to bat at seven, leaving Shardul Thakur (331 runs in 11 Tests, four fifties; 31 wickets at 28.38) or Nitish Kumar Reddy (298 runs in five Tests, one century; five wickets at 38.00) as potential lower-order options, though not without compromises in bowling quality.

What will the lower order look like?

Jadeja remains a lock at seven, but the sixth and eighth slots are still up for grabs. If Kuldeep Yadav features as the lead spinner, Nitish Kumar could slot in at six or seven. Dhruv Jurel has impressed with fifties against Australia A and England Lions, while Sai Sudharsan has also batted at six before. At eight, Shardul offers batting strength, while Washington Sundar adds balance, albeit with a lesser impact as a spinner compared to Jadeja or Kuldeep.

Who completes the pace trio?

With Bumrah and Siraj set to lead the pace attack, the third seamer remains undecided. Prasidh Krishna, fresh off a Purple Cap-winning IPL season, appears a strong candidate. Arshdeep Singh offers left-arm variation, while Akash Deep, though promising, lacks recent match exposure. Among the reserves, Anshul Kamboj stands out with his dual skillset, having scored a fifty against the England Lions.

(With ANI inputs)

This article first appeared on Mid Day