IND vs ENG: Who said what in India's camp ahead of 1st Test against England - Watch

India is set to begin a new chapter in Test cricket as they prepare to face England at Headingley on Friday. This series opener marks the start of a new era, with the team missing key players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja during a nets session at Headingley (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Led by the newly appointed captain Shubman Gill, the young squad is determined to regain their dominance in the red-ball format after recent defeats against New Zealand and Australia.

The Indian team is undergoing a significant transition following the retirements of seasoned batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket last month. Ravichandran Ashwin also announced his retirement during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

"It is a new group. We are missing a few senior players, and yeah, it is a young team led by a really young captain," KL Rahul said in a video shared by the BCCI on X.

Gill, who succeeds Rohit Sharma as Test captain, is now the youngest player in Indian cricket history to lead the Test side. India's recent losses to New Zealand and Australia prevented them from reaching the World Test Championship final.

"Everyone is so young and it will be relatively easy and exciting to be able to mould this team into what we would want we want in the next 10-15 years of Indian cricket to becomes," Gill stated about leading the young squad.

"As a team, our balance is very good. We will play good cricket," senior player Ravindra Jadeja commented on the team composition.

Shardul Thakur, who has played four Tests in England, shared his insights: "I think it is very exciting to play in this part of the world. Sometimes it is cloudy, and sometimes it is bright sunny, and as a player, you need to make adjustments to your game, whether you are batting or bowling."

"This is a big series, and if we win, it will be a massive achievement," said left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, emphasizing the series' importance in the World Test Championship cycle.

Arshdeep Singh, who received his first Test call-up, stated: "To start off, here it is said that it is a tough series, if we seal it off well, it will be fun."

"It always pumps you and always want to give your best, and just super excited to play in this England series," expressed all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made a strong impression in Australia.

"It is a proud feeling to play with such an extraordinary group of talent," added pace bowler Mohammed Siraj.

Prasidh Krishna, the Purple Cap holder from IPL 2025, shared his optimism: "All of us are upbeat, always joking around. If that fun leads to winning a tournament here, it will be great. All of us will be jumping around for sure and maybe come up with a dance for a celebration."

India has not secured a win at Headingley since 2002, making this series opener a significant challenge for the young squad.

The Indian squad consists of Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-Captain & Wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.