Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes India is in “safe hands” and has “enough talent” to beat England, but success ultimately hinges on the young squad’s performance in challenging conditions. India enters a new era following the retirement of batting legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket, just over a month before the five-match series commences at Headingley on June 20. Shubman Gill replaces Rohit as Test captain, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. India will also be without off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, and seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami, deemed unfit for the series. Furthermore, India must manage Jasprit Bumrah‘s availability, intending to utilise him in only three of the five Tests, though the specific matches remain undetermined. “Yes, I do give them a chance, but it’s a much more inexperienced team than I expected to go to England. Not having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is significant. Players come and go, people retire, and the game moves on. A new captain isn’t necessarily a bad thing for India. Retirement opens up opportunities for others,” Clarke was quoted as saying to Revsportz. “The main concern for me is the Indian bowling attack. We know Bumrah can’t play all five Tests. Which matches will he play? Winning the first three could make the last two irrelevant, but I don’t think that will happen. His appearances need to be spaced out for his body’s sake,” Clarke added. “Missing Shami is also a big deal. His absence in the Australian series was significant, and having him alongside a fit Bumrah could have changed the outcome. However, India has immense talent. Talent-wise, India will always be strong. It’s just a matter of how quickly these players make their mark. Playing five Tests in England is tough, and they need to be aware of that.” Despite missing key players, India has introduced new talent. Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will make their Test debuts in England. Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh will bolster the pace attack alongside Bumrah. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is the primary spin option, whom Clarke considers the “X-factor”. “It’s a very good attack. I think there’s enough talent in the Indian squad to win the series. It’s just a matter of experience. Playing in India and England are the toughest challenges in Test cricket. Confidence and self-belief are crucial, and success in these conditions builds that. For many players, this will be their first five-Test series in England. They can play fearless cricket because they don’t know what to fear,” Clarke noted. “I’m pleased to see Kuldeep in the squad. He deserves to be India’s first-choice spinner. He’s a match-winner with an X factor. If India wins the series, Kuldeep Yadav could be the key difference. He’s that important to this Indian team,” Clarke concluded. (With inputs from ANI)