Wasim Jaffer picks India XI, names new opening pair after Rohit Sharma gets ruled out of rescheduled England Test

Jasprit Bumrah will captain India in rescheduled fifth Test against England, after regular skipper Rohit Sharma was ruled out with Covid-19.

India were leading the five-match series 2-1 when multiple Covid-19 cases in their camp led to the postponement of the final game which was a part of the World Test Championship. Nine months later, the team looks to outwit a high-flying England side that won 3-0 in their most recent home series against world Test champions England.

India's Jasprit Bumrah, right, and coach Rahul Dravid inspect the pitch (AP)

The Indian team will witness a new skipper as well. Rohit Sharma, who took over the mantle of Test captaincy from Virat Kohli, has been ruled of the Test owing to coronavirus. The team management had given Rohit a chance to return a negative test but the opener will be unavailable, with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah leading instead at Edgbaston.

Bumrah, who is arguably among the finest fast bowlers at present, faces a stiff leadership challenge against a vastly improved English team under skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. Indian coach Rahul Dravid, on the other hand, looks to figure a match-winning opening pair.

Rohit was India's top run-scorer in England last year, amassing 368 runs in four matches, including 127 at the Oval, while his partner KL Rahul made 315 runs. Both players remain unavailable for the crucial Test.

Meanwhile, former India batter Wasim Jaffer has picked his playing eleven in Rohit's absence. The domestic cricket stalwart picked Shubman Gill at the top alongside Cheteshwar Pujara, who regained top form with his spell in English county cricket while playing for Sussex.

Jaffer picked Hanuma Vihari at the number three spot in place of Pujara, with Virat Kohli at his usual No. 4 position in Test cricket. Kohli, who has been enduring a prolonged lean patch, hit an impressive 67 off 98 balls in the just-concluded warm-up game against Leicestershire.

Jaffer then chose Shreyas Iyer, who scored 62 off 89 in the four-day practice game, with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the next two slots. He didn't pick Sharul Thakur as a fourth fast bowling all-rounder and instead went with a second spinner in Ashwin alongside Jadeja.

On the bowling front, Jaffer picked Mohammed Shami and captain Jasprit Bumrah, with Mohammed Siraj completing the fast-bowling troika. All three players were automatic selections for the much-awaited Test.

Wasim Jaffer's India XI for Edgbaston Test: Gill, Pujara, Vihari, Kohli, Iyer, Pant (WK), Jadeja, Ashwin, Shami, Bumrah (C), Siraj