Predicting top 3 player battles from first Test in India tour of England in Leeds

The new-look Team India under the captaincy of the newly-appointed skipper Shubman Gill is set to take on England in the first Test of the high-octane five-match Test series. The opening Test of the five-match series will be played at Headingley in Leeds on June 20, from 3:30 PM (IST). 

It will be an interesting contest to watch out for between India and England, as both teams have their separate strengths and weaknesses. So, fans will be eager to see which team ends up dominating the game. 

With that said, here we’ll have a look at the top three player battles to watch out for in the upcoming first Test between England and India.

1. Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah 

The veteran England batter and the modern-day batting great, Joe Root, has a long-time head-to-head face-off with India’s star pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. They have played against each other on four occasions from 2018 to 2024. In these appearances, the dominance has been equal for both the stars. 

Joe Root has scored 286 runs off 559 balls, with a decent batting average of 31.8, getting dismissed nine times against the star India pacer. Besides that, Bumrah has bowled 411 dot balls to the Englishman. So, this battle is going to be one of the most interesting player battles in the England vs India first Test.

2. Rishabh Pant vs Chris Woakes 

Feeling a lack of pacers in the core bowling attack, England might face difficulty in tackling the blistering Indian wicketkeeper-batter and vice-captain on this tour, Rishabh Pant. Still, the pace-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes has been very impressive in the head-to-head face-off with Rishabh Pant. 

Pant has scored just 14 runs off 41 balls, including a dismissal on two different occasions in 2018 and 2021. The Indian Southpaw has a below-par batting average of 14.0. So, the Indian vice-captain might get a bit of a tough time from Chris Woakes in this player battle during the opening Test of the five-match series.

3. Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Shoaib Bashir 

Two youngsters on the Indian and English sides, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shoaib Bashir, faced each other last year in the five-match Test series in 2024 on England’s tour of India. Both the young folks have dominated each other equally in this face-off. Jaiswal has scored 185 runs off 196 balls, with an impressive strike rate of 94.4. 

Apart from that, the young Southpaw has an outstanding average of 92.5, including two dismissals and 114 dot balls. So, the battle between two future stars and youngsters will be a treat to watch out for the fans in the first Test between England and India. 

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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