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

India is set to commence a new chapter in Test cricket, fielding a young team against England at Headingley on Friday. This series marks the beginning of a transition, with the squad missing experienced players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. The team will be led by the newly appointed captain, Shubman Gill.

The Indian team is aiming to regain its dominance in the red-ball format after recent setbacks.

KL Rahul acknowledged the team's transitional phase in a video shared by the BCCI on X, stating: "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."

Shubman Gill, succeeding Rohit Sharma as Test captain, becomes the youngest ever to lead the Indian Test side. He shared his perspective on leading the young squad: "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."

Senior player Ravindra Jadeja expressed confidence in the team's balance, saying, "As a team, our balance is very good. We will play good cricket."

Shardul Thakur, having prior experience playing four Tests in England, commented: "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."

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav emphasized the importance of the series in the World Test Championship cycle: "This is a big series, and if we win, it will be a massive achievement."

Arshdeep Singh, receiving 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."

All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed in Australia, expressed his excitement: "It always pumps you and always want to give your best, and just super excited to play in this England series."

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

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's last victory at Headingley dates back to 2002, making this series opener a significant challenge for the young Indian squad.

The Indian squad includes: 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.