ENG vs IND 2025: Mohammad Kaif picks India's playing XI for Manchester Test, recommends debut for CSK star
India are all set to square off against England in the all-important fourth Test at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, starting on Wednesday, July 23.
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India are all set to square off against England in the all-important fourth Test at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, starting on Wednesday, July 23. The Shubman Gill-led side is trailing 1-2 in the five-match series and they can't afford to go down in Manchester with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy being on the line.
However, the Asian giants have been struggling with injury concerns of late. Akash Deep has been ruled out of the fourth Test after sustaining a groin injury. Arshdeep Singh is also unavailable after injuring his hand during a training session before the fourth Test. Nitish Kumar Reddy, on the other hand, has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a knee injury.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif opined that Anshul Kamboj, who has been brought into the side as a cover for the injured speedsters, will be handed a debut ahead of Prasidh Krishna, who played the first couple of Test matches in the series. Kaif said that Kamboj possesses similar skill sets to that of Deep.
“I think Prasidh Krishna will be overlooked, and Anshul Kamboj will be given a chance. His debut seems certain, as he’s a quality bowler. He can play the role of Akash Deep, someone who can bowl both inswing and outswing with good control and consistently clock around 130 km/h. So, I believe Kamboj will be handed an opportunity,” Kaif said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
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Kamboj represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The right-arm seamer played 11 matches and took 10 wickets at an average of 28.60 and a strike rate of 18.90. In first-class cricket, Kamboj has featured in 24 matches, picking up 79 wickets at an average of 22.88 and a strike rate of 44.20. He is also a decent lower-order batter, having an average of 16.20, with one half-century under his belt.
Mohammad Kaif's India playing XI for Manchester Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Anshul Kamboj.