Advantage India? Ahead Of High-Voltage Test Series, England Receive Major Blow, Fast Bowling Sensation To Miss West Indies ODIs

Shubman Gill's leadership skills will be put to a strict test when India take on England in a five-match Test series starting from next month. The Gujarat Titans captain has been announced as the Test captain, while Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant has been named as his deputy.

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England Pacer Ruled Out Of West Indies ODI Series

Ahead of the much-anticipated series, England have received a severe blow. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the West Indies ODI series due to a hamstring injury. He suffered the injury during England's majestic Test victory over Zimbabwe by an innings and 45 runs. England will face the West Indies in the first ODI on Thursday, and haven't named a replacement. Which means the England Cricket Board is reportedly confident that the 27-year-old could be fit before the first England vs India, which will start on June 20.

Atkinson's injury came at a very crucial juncture after Jofra Archer also pulled out of the series due to a thumb injury he suffered during the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals. Atkinson has been a constant fixture for England in the longest format and has proved his worth with 55 wickets in just 12 matches.

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Brydon Carse, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts and Luke Wood are England's potential pace options for the ODI series. For India, this will usher in a new era under Gill, and this also happens to be the first match in the upcoming WTC cycle. This will be the first series in the last several years that the Indian team will be without the trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.

England ODI Series Against West Indies

Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood.