India are all set to begin their campaign in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle as they will take on England in a five-match Test Series against England in England. The first Test will begin on June 20 (Friday) at Headingley, Leeds. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired, India will be fielding a new-look batting order under the captaincy of Shubman Gill. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has predicted the batting order for the series against England.

In a video on his Instagram profile, Dinesh Karthik predicted KL Rahul to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. He said that Sai Sudharsan will bat at no.3, followed by Shubman Gill at no.4. Rishabh Pant will come in at no.5. Karun Nair, who would be making his India comeback after 8 years, is expected to come in at no.6. Karthik said that Ravindra Jadeja would bat at no.7, while he predicted Shardul Thakur ahead of Nitish Reddy at no. 8

“Jaiswal looks like a man who is ready for a challenge like this. At No.3, Sai Sudharsan, I feel he has done outstandingly well in white-ball cricket, IPL and in the limited opportunities he has had for India as well," Karthik said.

“Can he (Sudharsan) convert that form into red-ball cricket as well? Shubman Gill, who is going to take over the mantle from the King. That’s a big one, but he knows. He wants to win that dressing room. If he gets going with the bat and shows the form he has shown in white-ball cricket, the world is his oyster. At No.8, I think Shardul Thakur is going to be the man. He is a bowling all-rounder, but his batting is going to be useful," he added.

Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

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