Leeds has been unusually dry this year and there has hardly been any rain since February.

The green look on the Headingley wicket could be perplexing in the circumstances since not much help is expected from the surface for the bowlers. The moisture on the wicket is expected to dry out after the first day and make it easier for the batters as the game progresses.

The recently-concluded World Test Championship final at Lord’s could provide a cue to the conditions in England this season — early movement for the bowlers on the first four/five sessions with batting becoming easier as the Test progresses.

The conditions could hardly be formidable for Shubman Gill as he makes his debut as India captain on Friday. Still the new-looking batting line-up, without the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will face their biggest test in alien conditions.

Gill’s captaincy acumen will also be tested, a fact acknowledged by several experts.

“I think Shubman is going to be a great leader. He’s a smart cricketer, he’s got a good brain for the game... He’s very talented and a nice human being, which I think is really important,” former India coach Gary Kirsten said.

“When you come into these leadership positions, you’re going to be put under pressure, and your leadership will be tested. For any young leader, your ability to learn how to lead, improve, and grow is constantly under scrutiny.

“The one thing I really like about Shubman is that he walks the talk. He’s very organised, very diligent with his training and preparation, and that sets a great example for other players. I think he’s primed to take on the international stage by storm,” Kirsten, who worked with Gill at Gujarat Titans, said.

The forecast suggests that it will get hotter in Leeds through the weekend, but that doesn’t guarantee that the surface will break alarmingly. That is one of the reasons why the Indian team management is undecided whether to play Kuldeep Yadav as the second spinner or include seamer all-rounder Shardul Thakur in the starting line-up.

There is a school of thought that Kuldeep’s guile could benefit the side in picking 20 wickets. The balance of the side assumes great significance.

“You can’t win a Test match without taking 20 wickets, no matter how many runs you have scored... And there might be a case, you know, where we could only be going with some pure batters and you could see a bowling all-rounder and three to four premier fast bowlers or proper bowlers,” said the India captain on the eve of the Test.

The Indians remain undecided on the No. 3 position, with Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the fray. All signs point to Nair’s return to the Test XI after eight years with Nitish Reddy likely to retain his spot.

The hosts have already named their XI, retaining Ollie Pope at No. 3 over Jacob Bethell. Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue will get first crack as a fast bowling pair. Chris Woakes and captain Ben Stokes will be there to give them company along with Shoaib Bashir as the lone spinner.

“Since me and Baz have been captain and coach, I don’t think we’ve actually lost a game with Woakesy in the team. So again that just proves how much of a valuable cricketer he is...” Stokes said.

How Stokes and McCullum’s ‘Bazballers’ tackle the Indian attack could decide the series. In Geoffrey Boycott’s words, England need to apply common sense and not be an "one-trick pony" when it comes to their approach.