Shubman Gill-led team India would return to Test cricket in the Tendulkar-Anderson opener at Headingley, Leeds on June 20. The series against England marks the beginning of a new era of Indian cricket under Gill, who was named the captain of the side after the retirement of Rohit Sharma. The test team will also be without veterans Virat Kohli and R Ashwin, who also retired from the format.

India have not won a series in England since 2007, and the upcoming series won't be easy either. Even though England are not as strong as they used to be, they're still a brute force at home.

Meanwhile, India have a few selection conundrums ahead of the first Test, and figuring out the best combination is a must to give the team the best shot at winning the series. KL Rahul is likely to play as an opener in the Test, but the management will have to find a formidable number three. There are reports that Shubman Gill wants to bat at four, which leaves BCCI with an option to play Sai Sudharsan or Abhimanyu Easwaran at three. If not, Karun Nair could be an option, but he is more likely to play in the lower middle order.

Also, India would need to decide how many all-rounders they need to play. Will Nitish Reddy, Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja all get a place in the team? But that'll leave India with an option to play just two specialist bowlers. If they opt to play one or two all-rounders, who will they prefer? India need to be smart in their selections as it can directly have an impact on the outcome of the match.

England vs India Leeds Weather Report

Meanwhile, rain threat looms large in the first Test between India and England at Leeds, and it could significantly affect India's decision-making. According to AccuWeather, the conditions on Day 1 will be cloudy, while there is a significant chance of rain on Days 2 and 3. The final two days are also likely to see overcast conditions. This could be an ideal condition for India to go in with an all-pace attack.

England XI: Ben Stokes (C), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, ⁠Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir

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