England playing 11 for Rajkot Test: The England Cricket Board (ECB) revealed their playing 11 for the 3rd Test between India and England, set to be held at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, Gujarat.

For the 3rd Test between India and England at Rajkot, the visiting side have opted to make one change, bringing in pacer Mark Wood to replace spinner Shoaib Bashir.

The ECB has not provided any information regarding the exclusion of Shoaib Bashir. Additionally, the board has confirmed that captain Ben Stokes will mark his 100th Test match appearance in IND vs ENG Rajkot Test, starting from Thursday (February 15th) onwards.

It is indeed surprising that England has included only two spinners for the Rajkot Test, especially considering the traditionally spin-friendly conditions in Indian pitches. However, reports suggest that the pitch in Rajkot is expected to be less conducive to excessive turn from day 1. Instead, it may offer something for pacers as well, with conditions conducive to reverse swing. This could particularly benefit England’s Mark Wood with his pace.

One change to our XI for the third Test in Rajkot 🏏 🔁

🇮🇳 #INDvENG 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #EnglandCricket

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 14, 2024

England’s playing 11 for IND vs ENG 3rd Test in Rajkot: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson

If we talk about the hosts, Dhruv Jurel’s inclusion in India playing 11 for IND vs ENG 3rd Test appears to be more compelling than KS Bharat’s, especially considering the latter’s struggles for runs in the ongoing IND vs ENG Test Series. It seems likely that for the Rajkot Test, India’s middle-order will comprise young talents such as Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel. If senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is unavailable for the fixture due to fitness concerns, Axar Patel might come in as his replacement.

India’s probable playing 11 for IND vs ENG Rajkot Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel/KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja/ Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.