India vs England 2021: 1st Test match players list & umpires
![India last won a Test series in England back in 2007 [Credits: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/550e7-16280692952410-800.jpg?w=500)
The second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) gets underway with India taking on England in a five-Test series starting Wednesday (August 4). Virat Kohli lost the toss in the first Test and was asked to field first in bright sunshine at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
Team India have been in the UK for two months, but they come into this series on the back of a WTC final loss to New Zealand in June. A long break always helps to put the past in perspective, and India have made three changes to the line-up which went down to the Kiwis by 8 wickets in Southampton.
After injuries to Shubman Gill (shin splints) and Mayank Agarwal (concussion), the opening conundrum was finally resolved as KL Rahul was included in a Test playing XI for the first time in two years. The bowling department was also rejigged, with Kohli now having four seamers and a lone spinner in Ravindra Jadeja at his disposal.
England, on the other hand, have gone in with a batting-heavy line-up and four specialist fast bowlers. Notably, tainted seamer Ollie Robinson has returned after completing an eight-match ban, while left-arm spinner Jack Leach misses out.
India vs England – 1st Test playing 11
India playing 11: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
India squad: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Abhimanyu Easwaran
England playing 11: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow, Dan Lawrence, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
England squad: Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow, Daniel Lawrence, Jos Buttler (wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Craig Overton, Sam Curran, Jack Leach, Dominic Bess, Ollie Pope, Haseeb Hameed
India vs England – 1st Test umpire
On-field umpires: Michael Gough, Richard Kettleborough
3rd umpire: Richard Illingworth
Match referee: Chris Broad