The Test series between India and England was expected to be a clash of titans. But due to a combination of different reasons, it has turned out to be a battle of rookies when it comes to England spinners and India's batters. India are fielding a playing XI with the most inexperienced batters in the middle-order. While Rajat Patidar is only one Test old, Sarfaraz Khan is making his debut while Shubman Gill, batting at three is playing only his 22nd Test.
India's Test team is undergoing transition at the moment with the selectors moving past the veteran Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Moreover, Virat Kohli is also unavailable for the series due to personal reasons while injuries to KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer being dropped has led to them digging deep in domestic cricket to find able replacements. Accordingly, the talented players like Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan have got a go in the longest format of the game.
Add to it KS Bharat not stepping up as a wicketkeeper-batter and Ishan Kishan not being available and India have been forced to hand another Test cap to a debutant Dhruv Jurel. Both Sarfaraz and Jurel made their debut in the third Test making it the second instance of India playing two debutants in the same match within a year.
India had handed debuts to Suryakumar Yadav and KS Bharat in Nagpur Test against Australia exactly a year ago in February. The hosts had won that game by an innings and 132 runs but it wasn't a great outing for both the Test debutants. Surya and Bharat both scored eight runs each as India plundered 400 runs in the first innings in reply to the visitors' 177 after opting to bat first.
