Rohit Sharma’s Team India is set to host Ben Stokes-led England for a 5-match Test series starting Thursday in Hyderabad. Unlike the past encounters between India and England, this series will see a plethora of youngsters taking the centrestage.
England, who announced their playing XI on Wednesday afternoon, have fielded a couple of rookie spinners to accompany an experienced Jack Leach. It would have been three youngsters in the England camp but unfortunately, one of them – Shoaib Basheer – had to return home from UAE to sort out his visa issues.
On the other hand, India too have some fresh faces who would witness the English Bazball closely for the very first time. Before the action unfolds on Thursday in Hyderabad, let’s have look at the young crops of both teams.
Tom Hartley: Lancashire’s Tom Hartley will share the spin-bowling responsibilities with Jack Leach in the first Test against India in Hyderabad. he has played 16 County Championship matches over the last three seasons and pocketed 40 wickets in 20 First-class matches. He made his ODI debut last year against Ireland in Nottingham.
Rehan Ahmed: Leach’s second bowling partner in the Hyderabad Test will be Rehan Ahmed who made and impactful Test debut in Karachi last year. Playing against, he returned a 7-wicket match haul for 137 runs across innings. Given his heroics in the subcontinent last year, he makes it to the playing XI for the opening Test against India in Hyderabad.
Shoaib Bashir: The 20-year-old has finally received his visa and will be available from the second Test. The unlucky off-spinner had to return home from UAE, where England had set up a training camp, to sort out his visa issues. The Pakistan-origin youngster has played 6 First-class games and picked up 10 wickets, averaging 67.
Dhruv Jurel: Receiving a maiden India call-up was surreal and when it happened, Jurel had an emotional conversation with his parents over a video call. Though his chances of making an international debut are slim as the Indian team management would prefer KS Bharat ahead of him. But given a chance, he might add firepower to the Indian middle-order just like he did for India A in the warm-up fixture against the England Lions in Ahmedabad last week. Jurel has played 15 first class game and scored 790 runs, including a hundred and 5 fifties. As a wicketkeeper, he has affected 2 stumpings so far and has taken 34 catches.
Rajat Patidar: The explosive batter from Madhya Pradesh, Rajat Patidar has been banging the selector’s door for quite a long time now. In 55 matches First-class games, he has 400 runs and 12 hundreds. He recently smashed back-to-back hundreds against the visiting England Lions. He smashed 151 in the first tour game in Ahmedabad last week. He also scored 111 in the warm-up fixture against the Lions and was on the tour to South Africa late last year with the A-side.
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