Wisden writers pick their India XIs for the first Test against England

India will play their first home Test in over a year when they host England for the first game of the four-match series starting February 5. Having claimed a historic win on Australian soil last month, the side will be further bolstered by the return of skipper Virat Kohli, as well as that of Ishant Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah following injury concerns.

In Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami, India are still missing two crucial pillars of there home domination in recent times, but they have a well-rounded squad that could pose a stiff challenge for Joe Root and co, who are touring India for their first Test series since 2016.

Ahead of the first Test, four Wisden writers have picked their XIs. We’ve allowed them to choose from the entire group of players in the squad. If you want to have a go yourself, you can pick your own team here.

Ben Gardner, Wisden.com managing editor

The top five pick themselves, but after that, it gets trickier. Four bowlers or five? Two spinners or three? Can Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant fit into the same XI?

I’ve gone with a deep batting line-up, taking the hit on the bowling front that Pandya represents over Siraj. It’s a slightly defensive move, but then the all-rounder is the kind of momentum-seizing cricketer who, if he comes good, can take India to whatever the next level is. I’ve picked Axar Patel as my spinner, having watched through my fingers at how Lasith Embuldeniya wove his web around every England batsman not named Joe Root.

Aadya Sharma, Wisden India editor

It’s harsh for a batsman who averages 99.50 at home, but Mayank Agarwal will have to break the Rohit Sharma-Shubman Gill opening combination. Virat Kohli returns to his position at four, making it a sturdy top five, and Rishabh Pant’s recent batting form most certainly keeps him ahead of Wriddhiman Saha.

With a bit of grass cover expected in Chennai, India could go with a pace-heavy bowling attack: Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are obvious picks for me, with Ravichandran Ashwin acting as the primary spinner. Among the options for the second spinner’s slot, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav do present more variety, but Washington Sundar seems to be the best bet overall; despite his lack of recent red-ball experience, Sundar fit right into the outfit in Australia, essaying both roles sufficiently well, and is perhaps the closest India can have to a Ravindra Jadeja replacement right now.

Rohit Sankar, Wisden India staff writer

India have stuck to a five-bowler theory under Shastri-Kohli, something that has contributed to their success massively. With Ravindra Jadeja absent, India may have trouble balancing the side, but Ravichandran Ashwin is a decent enough batsman at home to play at No.7.

I’d pick the best two spinners available in Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav, with three proper quicks in the line-up in Bumrah, Ishant and Siraj. The Hardik Pandya option is enticing and him being in the Test side is a positive move. But, as I see it, he is a batting all-rounder who can give the quicks a break, but that’s not what India would seek in a five-bowler line-up at home. Away from home, Hardik should be a first-choice pick when fit.

This also means there are three proper fast bowlers and two spinners. Since 2018, India’s fast bowlers have more wickets and a better average than spinners at home, something that’s also indicative of the pitches they have rolled out and their confidence in the quicks. The batting group virtually picks itself, as does Pant over Saha, especially after what he did in Australia.

Rupin Kale, Wisden India staff writer

While Rohit Sharma has been in excellent in home conditions in the longest format, dropping Mayank Agarwal would be unfair towards the young opener. Agarwal has the highest average at home in the current Indian squad – an incredible 99.50 in six innings. Additionally, Rohit and Shubman Gill are, in many ways, similar in terms of their approach, which could backfire. Agarwal has a steadier, more reliable presence, which gives Gill the opportunity to express himself more at the top of the order. The decision to bring in Mohammed Siraj over Kuldeep Yadav was to give India more options against England’s lower order. While Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar can wreak havoc against the top and middle order, a three-pronged pace attack might be ideal to remove England’s strong tailenders.