With the absence of the legendary trio of cricketers, namely Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, it’s time for KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja to lead the inexperienced Indian squad from the front.
Shubman Gill’s maiden captaincy stint in tests starts with the most difficult 5-match series in England from June 20 (Friday) onwards.
Moreover, it is a fact that Rahul, Pant, and Jadeja are the only three experienced cricketers in the current squad who have played 40+ tests in their careers. Also, the trio of these star players have earlier played test cricket on English soil, having exhibited some noteworthy performances, and would be familiar with the playing conditions.
Let’s find out how India’s senior trio can turn up to secure a much-needed test series win in England after 17 years.
KL Rahul: A Highly Reliable Batsman
Following Rohit Sharma’s retirement, it’s time for KL Rahul to play the opener’s role and provide a fascinating start to his team in the challenging conditions in England.
However, the England tour isn’t new to the 33-year-old as he took part in the 2018 and 2021 tours under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. Also, in his previous tour (back in 2021), Rahul scored two stunning tons when he batted as an opener.
The wicketkeeper-batter didn’t have a memorable campaign in 2018, having compiled his only century throughout the 5-match test series. Still, he ranked as the fifth-highest scorer of the series, scoring 299 runs in 10 innings.
In the next tour in 2021, Rahul made a tremendous comeback and concluded the five-match series as the third-highest run-getter with 315 runs in 8 innings, including 2 centuries.
Here are some of the best knocks by KL Rahul during his England tour in 2018 and 2021:
| Year | Test (Out of 5 Matches in a series) | Innings | Venue | KL Rahul’s Score | Strike Rate |
| 2018 | 5th | 2nd innings | London | 149 Runs from 224 Balls (including 20 fours and 1 six) | 66.52 |
| 2021 | 1st | 1st innings | Nottingham | 84 Runs from 214 Balls (including 12 fours) | 39.25 |
| 2021 | 2nd | 1st innings | Lord’s | 129 Runs from 250 Balls (including 12 fours and 1 six) | 51.60 |
| 2021 | 4th | 2nd Innings | The Oval | 46 Runs from 101 Balls (including 6 fours and 1 six) | 45.54 |
Rishabh Pant: An Aggressive Middle Order Batsman
It would be surprising to know that Rishabh Pant earned his maiden test call for England’s tour back in 2018. In his debut series, the left-handed batter scored 162 runs in 6 innings at an average of 27.00 and a strike rate of 64.29, which includes his maiden test ton.
Three years later, Pant showed his red-hot form in the 2021-22 tour by scoring 349 runs in 9 innings, including a ton and two half-centuries.
Here are some of the most memorable knocks of the 27-year-old at England’s fortress in 2018 as well as in the 2021-22 series:
| Year | Test (Out of 5 Matches in a series) | Innings | Venue | Rishabh Pant’s Score | Strike Rate |
| 2018 | 5th | 2nd | London | 114 Runs from 146 Balls (including 15 fours and 4 sixes) | 78.08 |
| 2021 | 4th | 2nd | London | 50 Runs from 106 Balls (including 4 fours) | 47.17 |
| 2022 | 5th (rescheduled) | 1st | Birmingham | 146 Runs from 111 Balls (including 20 fours and 4 sixes) | 131.53 |
| 2022 | 5th (rescheduled) | 2nd | Birmingham | 57 Runs from 86 Balls (including 8 fours) | 66.28 |
Ravindra Jadeja: A Consistent All-Rounder in Test Cricket
Team India might consider Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner in the playing XI for the upcoming England series. However, he might face tough competition from Kuldeep Yadav, who is a full-time spin bowler specialist.
At the same time, Jadeja’s ability to bat at the lower middle order adds a new dimension to the starting XI line-up, which secures his spot as a left-handed batsman and an orthodox spinner.
Here is a comparison of Jadeja’s performance in red-ball series during the England tours in 2014, 2018, and 2021-22:
| Stats (Batting and Bowling) | 2014 | 2018 | 2021-22 |
| Matches | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Innings (Batting) | 8 | 2 | 9 |
| Runs | 177 | 99 | 287 |
| Highest Score | 68 | *86 | 104 |
| Average | 22.12 | 99.00 | 31.88 |
| Strike Rate | 59.59 | 49.00 | 47.04 |
| 100s | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 50s | 1 | 1 | 01 |
| Innings (Bowling) | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| Wickets Taken | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Best Bowling Figures | 3/52 | 3/75 | 2/36 |
| Bowling Average | 46.66 | 20.87 | 56.16 |
| Economy | 2.69 | 2.87 | 2.34 |
From the above comparison, it becomes clear that Ravindra Jadeja’s batting performance was exceptional on English soil in 2022, while his contributions as a spin bowler were noteworthy in 2014.
Conclusion
Regardless of Rishabh Pant’s recent form in IPL 2025, he continues to secure his spot in the main XI as the team’s vice-captain.
On the other hand, Rahul and Jadeja need to deliver match-winning performances. By failing to do so, their experience would certainly be overlooked. Also, other talented benched players are waiting to grab an opportunity and prove their worth in the playing XI.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul’s recent form in the unofficial test has been tremendous. He hammered a brilliant century and sent a clear message to the cricketing world that there is a lot of intent left inside him to score huge runs for his team in the upcoming days.
Jadeja has a crucial role to play in the absence of veteran batters like Rohit and Kohli. In addition, Pant’s destructive batting style, particularly on foreign pitches, promises him to be a game-changer for his team.
In conclusion, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja boast impressive records in England tests. Their presence in the squad will be essential to guide their new captain, Shubman Gill, in tough situations.