England Select Brydon Carse for India Test Series Opener at Headingley

England's fast bowler Brydon Carse is set to make his home Test debut in the first match of the five-Test series against India at Headingley, Leeds, amid injuries to key England pacers including Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. Carse, who has shown promise with 27 wickets in five Tests and a career-best performance against New Zealand, will open the bowling alongside Chris Woakes, with Archer expected to return for the second Test if fit. Despite the retirement of Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Carse acknowledges India's strong bench strength and emerging talents like Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Karun Nair, warning that England cannot afford complacency. England's batting lineup remains largely unchanged from recent matches, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett opening, supported by Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Harry Brook. Carse emphasizes physical readiness and adaptability as crucial for navigating this challenging series, which will test both teams' skills and resilience ahead of a busy cricket season including The Ashes. The series is seen as a defining period for England's Bazball approach, with anticipation high for Archer's comeback and the performance of young players on both sides.