'They have got a number of injuries and...': Australia batting great explains how Shubman Gill-led India holds edge over England

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden believes that Shubman Gill-led India will have a strong chance of winning the upcoming Test series against England if they can defeat them in Leeds and Manchester. India are scheduled to play a five-Test match series against England, which is scheduled to start from June 20.

The first Test match of the upcoming series will take place in Leeds on Friday. Manchester will host the fourth Test from July 23.

"I don't think England bowlers are that good, they have got a number of injuries and a number of retirees as well, that will be the challenge," Hayden said on 'JioHotstar'.

"The northern Test matches when it's zipping around that will be key, win that one and it could well be a series that goes India's way," he added.

Since India's last Test tour of England, the hosts' two most experienced bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, have bid adieu to international cricket.

ALSO READ: Huge blow for India: two players injured ahead of England series, BCCI names replacement

ALSO READ: 'They cannot be taken for granted...': Ex-Australia star urges selectors to drop someone from the 'big four' bowling attack

Apart from that, England's bowling unit will be less lethal with Mark Wood ruled out of at least the first three Tests due to injury.

Fellow quick Jofra Archer will also miss the opening game, and Gus Atkinson is continuing to recover from a hamstring strain.

On the other hand, Team India will also feature a new captain, Shubman Gill, an experienced trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin has also announced their retirement from the longest format of the game before the series.

This will be the first Test series for India after a humiliating 3-1 loss against Australia in the first Test match series of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Former India cricketers Deep Dasgupta and Sanjay Manjrekar also backed England to clinch the rechristened Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, but agreed the series would be a closely fought affair.

"It is a young team , it has a young captain. The team is going through a transition so that will give England a slight advantage and they have the home advantage as well but it (the series) will be very close. I'd say 3-2 in favour of England," Dasgupta said.

Manjrekar echoed the sentiment: "I think England have an edge. They are playing at home and the Indian team is going through a transitional phase so I think England might just pull this off."

India squad for England series

Shubman Gill(C), Rishabh Pant(vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Parishdh Krishna, Akashdeep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav