Robin Uthappa names his India XI for first test against England; KL Rahul to open

Robin Uthappa picked Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers in his playing XI.

Under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, the Indian Cricket Team are set to take on England in an upcoming five-match test series. The opening test will commence on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds. The Shubman Gill & Co. have reached England and have begun their preparations for the series.

Ahead of the first game, cricketer-turned-commentator, Robin Uthappa has named his Indian playing XI for the Headingley test during a conversation on ‘Game Plan’ on Star Sports. The former wicket-keeper batter feels KL Rahul should open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal. After Rohit Sharma’s retirement from tests, the team needs a powerful opener in red-ball cricket.

Uthappa kept Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 in the batting order and picked skipper Shubman Gill at the crucial number four spot. Virat Kohli, who announced his retirement from tests last month, batted at four in the test team. Notably, Gill has only batted as an opener and at three in the longest format so far.

Robin Uthappa reveals his Indian playing XI for the Headingley test

Interestingly, Uthappa also included Karun Nair, who has made a comeback to the test team after 2017, in the middle-order. The right-hander slammed a double ton for A team in the recent unofficial test series against England Lions.

In the pace department, he wants Prasidh Krishna to lend a helping hand to senior members Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Uthappa also added Nitish Reddy to his playing XI, who impressed with his batting in India’s last test series against Australia, slamming a century in Melbourne.

Robin Uthappa’s India’s playing XI 1st test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Meanwhile, Rahul produced a brilliant batting show in the recent second unofficial test between India A and England Lions. He slammed a century and a half-century while batting as an opener. During India’s last tour of England in 2021, he was one of the best batter for the team in the series, which ended in a draw.

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