IND vs ENG: Only four specialist bowlers in playing XI as England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test
&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "IND vs ENG: Only four specialist bowlers in playing XI as England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test")
England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test Photograph: (AFP)
England will be hopeful to getting the early advantage in five-Test series as India haven't won at Headingley, venue for first Test (starts June 20), since winning under Sourav Ganguly in 2002.
England have asked for a rather batting-friendly surface to 'hit through the line' in the first Test against India which begins on Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds. The revelation, two days out of the Test, was made by the official who oversees the grounds in Leeds. The request by England reflected in their playing XI as well which they named on Wednesday (Jun 18) and have only four specialist bowlers to go with all-rounder Ben Stokes.
“They (England) just want to have a good surface so it’s true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball. That’s really what they’re looking for,” Richard Robsinon, head of grounds at Leeds, reported cricket news outlet ESPNCricinfo.
As for England's playing XI, Zak Crawley is set to open alongside Ben Duckett with Ollie Pope to follow at number 3. Joe Root will bat at two down followed by England's white-ball skipper Harry Brook at five.
Skipper Stokes at number six and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith at number seven complete England's batting line-up. Chris Woakes, who is more than handy with the bat, is at number eight with Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir to follow.
England will be hopeful to getting the early advantage in five-Test series as India haven't won at the venue (Headingley) since winning under Sourav Ganguly in 2002.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
IAF's Jaguar fighter jet has no ejection seat auto-activation! What does it mean for pilots?
)
511 billion barrels of oil discovered in Antarctica can trigger World War. Here's how
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Can India’s Rafale evade Iran’s air defence system after being exposed by B-2 bombers?
)
Scientists stumbled upon four pitch-black eggs 20,000 feet below ocean. They turned out to be...
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
This $20 billion fighter jet will be built to win any war! Meet Boeing's F-47
)
US Air Force scraps project with Elon Musk’s SpaceX over 'bird nests'
)
10,000 Ontario college layoffs, 600 programmes scrapped: Canada education is hurting, and there may be an India connection
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
This fighter jet could fly at the edge of space and it's not American...
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
From BCCI to ECB: Top 5 richest cricket boards in the world, check where PCB stands
)
Exclusive | She went to compete but returned as world no. 1: Meet 16-year-old shuttler Tanvi Sharma
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
AMCA vs F-35: 5 fighter jets in India’s billion-dollar hunt for 5th-gen warfare
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Top Indian batters to score hundred at Lord’s Cricket Ground – Sachin Tendulkar not on the list
India, playing under new skipper Shubman Gill, have a lot to ponder on as they usher into a new area without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravi Ashwin. It also remains to be seen if Jasprit Bumrah, who'd play partial role in the series owing to workload management, makes it to the playing XI.
The inexperience of the Indian batting line-up is so massive that England batter Joe Root has more Test hundreds than the entire current India squad combined.
England playing XI vs India for 1st Test in Headigley: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.