Image: The beginning of the Test season for the Indian cricket team / © Sports Tak
The IPL season has come to an end, and it also marked the beginning of the Test season for the Indian cricket team. It is not just a chance for the team to showcase their strength under the new captain, Shubman Gill, against England; it is also an opportunity to win the first series in England since 2007.
With 18 players being a part of the squad, there are many who missed out on the England tour. But to prove their worth to the Indian team, some of the stars have also made themselves available for the County Championship 2025.
Representing different teams in the English domestic league, all of them have one common objective, which is to mark their spot in the Indian team. If they are able to perform well and catch the eye of the selectors, there are chances we will see one of these players become a part of the Indian team for the remaining three Tests against England.
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Ishan Kishan | Nottinghamshire |
| Tilak Varma | Hampshire |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Essex |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Northamptonshire |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | Yorkshire |
For this, these players surely do have some time to prove themselves, as the India tour of England will end in the first week of August. Let’s now take a look at the list of Indian stars who have played the County Championship in the current season or some games in English cricket recently.
Ishan Kishan, the wicket-keeper batsman, who got dropped from the Indian team despite giving his best, is now eager to prove his worth to the line-up. For this, he took part in the current edition of the County Championship, where he is playing for Nottinghamshire.
He was strong in the first match he played, looking in fine rhythm. Although the IPL season didn’t go well for him, his form in the County Championship has surely been up to the mark. In the first match he played for Nottinghamshire, Kishan was able to score 87 runs for the team in 98 balls with 12 fours and one six.
His approach was clear: to redefine himself in the Test format, which played an important role in helping him score runs at a rapid pace for his team. Not only with the bat, Ishan Kishan was also able to contribute with his wicket-keeping skills to the team in the first match. He took a catch and even did a stumping to end the match on a high note.
Even in the current match being played between Nottinghamshire and Somerset, Ishan Kishan continued to perform consistently for the team. He brought up his second consecutive half-century, scoring 77 runs off 128 balls before losing his wicket to Leach. Besides that, Ishan Kishan was also able to take 3 catches, contributing actively with his keeping skills.
If he is able to continue these consistent performances in the County Championship, there is a high chance that he could be a part of the Indian team, which has struggled a bit when it comes to the middle order. Kishan coming in could be a great solution to the challenges faced by the middle order.
Mumbai Indians star Tilak Varma, who recently made his name in international cricket, is now eager to get his name into the Test team. Although his spot in the T20I seems fixed, it seems that Varma wants to be a part of the team in the longest formats of the game. For this, he also participated in the County Championship, where he is playing for Hampshire.
After dominating in the white ball format, Varma continued his class with the red ball, even in the English conditions. He played his first match against Essex and was able to score 100 runs in 241 balls, before losing his wicket to Simon Harmer. Scoring a century in his County debut has helped Tilak Varma to impress the selectors.
In the current match being played between Hampshire and Worcestershire, Tilak Varma seems to be the lone warrior for his team. In the first innings, where the team got all out at a total of 221, Tilak Varma came out as their top scorer, scoring 56 runs in 171 balls.
Although he played slowly for the team in the first innings, it also showcased that despite being a T20 player, Varma holds the class to play in the longer formats of the game. His intent to stay till the end has made an impact on the performances of Hampshire in the current season.
Right now, as the match between Hampshire and Worcestershire continues, Tilak Varma has already scored 20 runs in the follow-on and will be eager to continue his momentum to help his team set a good target. Such performances also show that Varma is able to adapt himself according to the situation, and comes out helpful to the team.
Khaleel Ahmed, the star pacer for the Indian line-up who plays in the limited-overs format, is now looking forward to stepping up for the Test team. He is also a part of the County Championship 2025, where he plays for Essex, and has showcased some good performances.
In the current match between Essex and Yorkshire, fans got to see an intense battle between Khaleel Ahmed and the experienced Jonny Bairstow. Despite holding a lot of expectations, Bairstow was unable to score against Khaleel, and he ended up losing his wicket at the score of just 29. His deliveries were insane, as they showcased that Khaleel is not just here to play; he is here to create his name.
Unfortunately, Khaleel Ahmed was not able to play for the team in its previous County match, but his inclusion has helped them to strengthen their bowling department to a great extent. Along with that, he also played for the India A team in the second tour match against England Lions.
In the tour matches too, Khaleel Ahmed showcased his dominance to the selectors, taking 4 wickets and conceding just 70 runs in the first innings. He was also the highest wicket-taker for India A in the match, showcasing his adaptability to the English conditions.
Since Khaleel is a left-arm pacer, his inclusion in the team (if needed) could help to strengthen the bowling line-up to a great extent. He has also performed well in the matches against England Lions, as he now continues to dominate the experienced players like Bairstow in the County Championship.
Yuzvendra Chahal, the spin stalwart, is also eager to regain his spot in the Indian cricket team, with his last appearance coming a few years ago. Despite the challenges, Chahal has been able to deliver consistently in various tournaments such as the IPL, the County Championship, and even in the Indian domestic tournaments.
Once again, Chahal is playing the County Championship and this time for Northamptonshire in Division Two. Currently in the match against Kent, Chahal bowled 42 overs in the first innings, but he was not able to take any wickets. Instead, he remained economical, holding an economy of just 3.07, and bowled 8 maiden overs.
Despite him not taking wickets, it cannot be denied that Chahal has experience playing on English soil. In County Championship Division Two 2024, Chahal played just 4 matches for Northamptonshire, but he still managed to make an impact for the team. He was able to secure 19 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 21.10.
Unfortunately, India didn’t have any tour to England at that time, which made Chahal wait a bit more to be noticed by the selectors. Although he has played 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is for India, he is yet to make his debut for the team in the longest format of the game.
It should also be noted that India only holds Kuldeep Yadav as their main spinner, with Jadeja being an all-rounder option for the team. If Chahal is able to deliver well in the County Championship, he might be able to make it to the Indian team for just a few important matches against England and be a part of the historic series win.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, missing out on most of the IPL 2025, is expected to mark his comeback to the game in the County Championship. He got injured in the IPL, due to which he didn’t participate in the remainder of the season. Now, in order to get his place in the Test team, Gaikwad is a part of Yorkshire in the County Championship.
Till now, Gaikwad has not played either of the two games for the team lately, but it is expected that he will be a part of the playing XI soon. If he is able to capitalise on the chances he receives, it is likely that he will be making his debut for the Indian team in the Test series against England.
He has played for India in the T20 and ODI formats, but he is still struggling to find his permanent place in the team. Now, the County Championship could be a great way for him to create his mark in the red ball format, and also make his way to the Indian cricket team with the white jersey.
Which of these players do you want to see play for India in the current tour of England?