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England Test skipper Ben Stokes believed that India's right-arm seamer Jasprit Bumrah is going to be a "threat" for the Three Lions in the upcoming five-match Test series at home.
A new era beckons for India in the Test format as the modern-day giants gear up for their first assignment without the prized batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill, India's youngest Test captain, has taken the baton from Rohit to guide the nation to success and challenge for the World Test Championship mace. During India's training session in Beckenham, Kent's second home venue, Bumrah displayed his unparalleled mastery in the art of pace bowling. With the ball in his hand, Bumrah showed signs of breaking the notion of requiring assistance from the surface to wreak havoc. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Ben Stokes told the media, "Bumrah leading their attack is a fantastic bowler, but there are 11 players on the team, and it takes a team to win a game of cricket. But we know Bumrah is an amazing bowler all around the world. His record shows that wherever he goes, he does well. So we know Bumrah is going to be a threat, but we know that every other bowler that India have is also going to be a threat. So, focusing on one individual over another isn't what we will be doing. But you respect your opposition, and he is certainly a fantastic bowler." Bumrah's utilisation will remain limited throughout the five Tests in England. During the announcement of India's squad for the upcoming Test tour of England, chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed Bumrah was advised not to contest in consecutive Tests as part of his workload management. The precaution around Bumrah's usage stems from a stress reaction in the back during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January. He missed India's victory campaign in the Champions Trophy and returned to action for the Mumbai Indians in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). Before leaving for England, head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed that they have yet to take a call on which Tests India will field Bumrah in the playing XI. India tour of England will take place from June to August 2025, with matches to be played at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London). A new era beckons for India in the Test format as the modern-day giants gear up for their first assignment without the prized batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill, India's youngest Test captain, has taken the baton from Rohit to guide the nation to success and challenge for the World Test Championship mace. India squad for England Test series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. England on Wednesday announced its playing XI for the opening Test of the five-match series against India, which will kick off on June 20 at Headingley. For the opening Test, England has retained the majority of the XI they fielded against Zimbabwe during the one-off Test last month. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will open for England, followed by Ollie Pope at number three. England Playing XI for the 1st Test against India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir. (ANI)
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