Led by Shubman Gill, India is poised to face England in a five-Test match series beginning on June 20. This upcoming contest marks the dawn of a new chapter for Indian cricket as it represents India’s first visit to England since 2011 without legendary players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who both retired from Tests in May. As part of this transition, Shubman has been entrusted with leading the national side into battle, making him set to debut as captain when the series starts on June 20.
Shubman was set to arrive in England ahead of schedule with plans to participate in the second unofficial Test match against England Lions. This game is scheduled for June 6-9. However, recent reports indicate that he will not attend this match.
Following Shubman, another Indian player is expected to sit out the second unofficial Test match. According to The Times of India, Sai Sudharsan will also be absent from this encounter. Both he and Shubman were planning to link up with the squad ahead of the second game.
Sudharsan, who has experience in ODIs and T20Is, will join the Test squad heading to England. He stands as a strong candidate for earning his first-ever Test appearance during the series.
In IPL 2025, Sudharsan excelled spectacularly and secured the Orange Cap with an impressive tally of 759 runs. This achievement marks his maiden victory of the coveted trophy in the league’s annals.
KL Rahul will feature for India A
Although Shubman and Sudharsan won't participate in the second unofficial Test match, KL Rahul is scheduled to join the game. He was not included in the initial team list.
Rahul appears almost certain to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order for the first Test. He also opted to participate in a red-ball match in England prior to the commencement of the international series. Abhimanyu Easwaran will remain as the captain of India A.
In the meantime, the initial unofficial Test match between these two sides concluded as a tie. Karun Nair scored a double century in the opening innings, strengthening his case for a spot in the starting lineup for the series premiere.