Batters: Sai Sudarshan, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal

The big news will be Rohit Sharma's absence. Having missed the SCG Test, it seems unlikely that a return is on the cards. Though India lost that Test under Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit’s lack of form with the bat has been an even greater worry, and we have likely seen the end of the opener in the format.

The other question is over Kohli’s place, with the former skipper falling similarly in all eight dismissals in Australia. However, India would be keen to give him another rope, holding onto him in a relatively inexperienced batting line-up. Kohli did get a hundred at Perth and looked disciplined in more than one innings before giving it away. But time is also ticking on his career, and he needs to rectify the issues with his technique before it’s too late.

Sai Sudarshan has edged ahead of other competitors in making the squad. He has taken rapid strides in first-class cricket and could have made his debut against England last year if not for a back injury. He also has county experience, having played for Surrey across the last two seasons, which furthers his cause for selection.

Wicket-keepers: Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel

Pant is a must-have in the team, while Jurel would have rued out his missed chances against Australia. He was arguably the best batter during the India A games ahead of the series, looking confident against the quicks. Jurel has also left a mark in the four Tests that he has played, averaging 40.4.

All-rounders: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar

The first message to Reddy after the Australia series would be to work on his bowling, an aspect that could further make him an indispensable member of India’s XI going forward. His selection in the Australia series was much debated: while his batting returns were impressive, he bowled only 44 overs, picking five wickets at an average of 38. It left Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj with a heavy workload, leading to the breakdown of the former on the “spiciest wicket” of the series.

Jadeja does not have the greatest numbers in England, averaging 43.48 in 12 Tests with the ball. His bowling numbers in SENA of late have left much to be desired too - the last time when he played more than one match and averaged below 35 in a series was during India’s previous tour to Australia, four years ago. His batting has kept him in the fray, but with India realising the importance of bowling depth recently, a place in the XI is not guaranteed. The same goes for Sundar, who bowled 37 overs in three Tests against Australia.

Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav

The left-arm wrist-spinner, once touted to be India’s “lead spinner in overseas Tests”, did not play Down Under due to an injury but his absence was greatly felt by the side. Having tweaked his technique recently - he bowls with a straighter run-up and a higher arm speed - Kuldeep has become much more effective and should be the first-choice spinner in the XI.

Seam bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep

Bumrah, also the captain of the side, fitness permitting, will lead an almost-similar pace attack that we saw in Australia. Siraj bowled his heart out and was impressive in phases, especially in the first innings of the SCG test without Bumrah. Prasidh was arguably India’s best bowler in the innings, adjusting his lengths perfectly after an iffy start. Akash Deep induced several false shots in the two games he played and should have picked up more than the five wickets that he ended with. The only change will be picking Mukesh Kumar over Harshit Rana, who needs some more first-class experience.

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