KL Rahul to Jadeja, records on the cards for Indian stars ahead of England Tests

India’s upcoming Test tour of England promises to be an emotionally charged yet milestone-laden affair. While fans continue to come to terms with the Test retirements of legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the series offers several reasons for excitement as a new chapter in Indian cricket begins.

With individual landmarks in sight for multiple players, the only way forward is to play fearlessly, and etch their names in history. The five-match Test series will run from June to August 2025, with games scheduled at iconic venues: Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord’s and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.

Leading the side into a new era is Shubman Gill, who needs just 107 more runs to reach the 2,000-run mark in Tests. Having scored 1,893 runs at an average of 35.05 in 32 matches, with five centuries and seven fifties, Gill has shown flashes of brilliance. However, his record in England remains a concern, with only 88 runs in six innings. This tour will test his mettle and leadership.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s dynamic opener, is 202 runs shy of 2,000 Test runs. The 23-year-old has amassed 1,798 runs in just 19 Tests at a stellar average of 52.88, including four centuries and 10 fifties. Despite a modest showing in practice games, Jaiswal enters the series high on confidence after hammering 712 runs against England in India and notching 391 runs in Australia. With England’s pace attack relatively inexperienced, Jaiswal will be key to India’s batting firepower.

Senior batter KL Rahul is closing in on the 9,000-run milestone in international cricket, currently at 8,565 runs from 215 matches. With 17 hundreds and 57 fifties, Rahul has been in promising form, scoring 116 and 51 in a warm-up against England Lions. Having rediscovered his rhythm, Rahul will look to maintain consistency throughout the series.

Vice-captain Rishabh Pant, one of India’s most explosive batters, needs just 52 more runs to complete 3,000 in Tests. Despite a lacklustre IPL and a decent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pant’s aggressive brand of cricket, especially in overseas conditions, makes him a game-changer.

Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also eyeing a landmark, just 309 runs short of 7,000 in international cricket. A seasoned performer in England, Jadeja`s role becomes even more vital in the absence of senior batters.

On the bowling front, Mohammed Siraj, a key cog in India’s pace arsenal, is just 15 wickets away from 200 international scalps. With 27 wickets in England already, the milestone is well within reach.

India`s Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

This article first appeared on Mid Day