ENG Vs IND: The first batch of the Indian test contingent reached London for a one-off test that was scheduled from July 1-5. BCCI shared the pictures of the players who has boarded the flight in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

The players who left for England include test specialists in former captain Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubhman Gill, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Shami, besides all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja who suffered an injury during IPL and Shardul Thakur.

In the posted pictures, skipper Rohit Sharma wasn’t there with the squad which raised assumptions about his fitness and speculations about his injury elevated.

But leaving all theories behind, the captain Rohit is all set to board the flight on June 20 with other members and lead the Indian team in the fifth test spillover of the test series played last year.

ENG Vs IND: Rohit ready to face first 'SENA' challenge

Skipper Rohit Sharma became the long-format captain of India after Virat Kohli stepped down following a series loss to South Africa earlier this year.

This series will mark the first-ever SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) challenge for 35-year-old Mumbai batter under his stint.

He has the huge responsibility to fill up the shoes of the legendary skipper Kohli who changed the mindset of the Indian team on foreign tours becoming the only Asian captain to win 7 tests in these four countries.

All eyes will be on Rohit that how will he survive the challenge set down by the English squad under the stint of Ben Stokes.

ENG Vs IND: Rahul to miss the tour of England

Opener batter KL Rahul is all set to skip the England tour prior to his groin injury he suffered during the IPL and will now travel to Germany for treatment, a BCCI senior official in his statement said.

The 30-year-old stylish batter was in sublime form in the four test matches that were played last year before the fifth and the last match was postponed to this year amid the rise in the cases of Covid-19.