India, June 19 -- Team India will kickstart a new era in Test cricket on Friday when the side takes on England in the first of five matches at Headingley in Leeds. The series will be India's first since the retirements of their two batting stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and will also begin a new World Test Championship cycle. Justifiably, a significant narrative around the series focuses on the beginning of a new era for India's red-ball cricket.

The squad for the series saw new entrants in Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, with Karun Nair also making a return after over eight years. In addition, Abhimanyu Easwaran was also included in the squad; however, there was no place for Sarfaraz Khan, who has been a part of the Indian T...