India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test against England in Rajkot. The home team has made several changes to their playing XI with two debutants – Sarfaraz Khan and keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel – coming in, while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj have also returned to the squad. For England, Mark Wood returns to the playing XI. 

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Here are the playing XIs of both teams –

INDIA – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

ENGLAND – Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Injuries and unavailability of a few players forced India to make as many as four changes to their playing XI from the last game, which they won by 106 runs in Vizag. With Virat Kohli (out of the series due to personal reasons), Shreyas Iyer (out with back stiffness and poor form) and KL Rahul (quadriceps injury) all unavailable for selection for this game, India will play an inexperienced middle order – Rajat Patidar (4), Sarfaraz Khan (debutant) and Dhruv Jurel (at number six).

Seasoned campaigner Ravindra Jadeja also returns after missing the previous match, replacing Axar Patel. While Ravi Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Jasprit Bumrah retained their places in the side, India have called in Mohammed Siraj for this game. 

Per BCCI’s latest statement on Mukesh Kumar, who got replaced by Siraj, the seamer has been released from the squad for Rajkot as he rejoins his Ranji Team (Bengal) and will return to the Indian Team setup for the fourth Test in Ranchi.

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Stokes playing his 100th Test

England captain Ben Stokes is playing his 100th Test, while veteran seamer James Anderson is just five wickets away from 700 Test wickets – first pacer and third after Muttiah Muralitharan and late Shane Warne.

Unlike India, England made just one change to their playing XI, with Mark Wood coming into the side for the third Test. 

Without Jack Leach, who got ruled out of the Test series, Stokes sounded convinced of playing with two lesser-experienced spin duo of Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley. 

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