England vs India 1st Test: Preview, Prediction, Team News and Where to Watch the Match LIVE

After almost 18 months, India and England are ready to renew their red-ball rivalry with a five-match Test series starting on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. This contest also marks the commencement of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle for both sides.

England vs India 1st Test: Preview

After almost 18 months, India and England are ready to renew their red-ball rivalry with a five-match Test series starting on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. This contest also marks the commencement of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle for both sides.

As you walk up the slope from Cardigan Road towards Headingley, you’re met with an odd sight: the remnants of an old bear pit, a relic from the short-lived Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens of the 1800s. The zoo quickly folded due to financial troubles, and the brown bear, along with the rest of the exhibits, was eventually sold off. It’s a strangely appropriate image to encounter before stepping into one of cricket’s most unpredictable arenas—a place where plans often unravel, where history lingers awkwardly in the present, even through street graffiti celebrating Botham, Willis, Stokes, and Leach.

Despite all that, Headingley remains unmistakably English: compact stands close to the field, ever-changing skies, and conditions that keep the ball dancing unpredictably. It’s England’s version of the Gabba—not because it’s an imposing fortress, but because it captures something raw and essential about the country’s cricket. Where Brisbane has often been the launchpad for Australia’s dominance, Leeds is more a theatre of twists and chaos. Fittingly, it’s rarely the venue for series openers—just nine times in England’s long Test history has a series begun here.

Yet, India won’t be up against the same kind of England they faced in 2011, 2014, 2018, or 2021-22. Those series coincided with pivotal chapters in the legendary careers of Stuart Broad and James Anderson. Now, Broad will be present only in the commentary box, and Anderson’s name will live on solely as part of the trophy’s title.

England themselves have gaps to fill, particularly in the area that matters most in home Tests: fast bowling. Mark Wood and Olly Stone are sidelined with long-term injuries, and while Gus Atkinson and—potentially—Jofra Archer could join the fray later, they won’t feature at the start.

Two summers ago, England rattled Australia here with their aggressive brand of cricket. They even managed to catch India off guard in their own backyard, briefly unsettling them. But that venture faltered because England didn’t have the bowling depth to sustain the fight, to match India’s quality spell for spell, over five gruelling days. This time, Headingley promises another clash of philosophies—but with Jasprit Bumrah ready to dictate terms.

Yet this week brings one rare certainty. Headingley will host the world’s top-ranked batter (Joe Root), bowler (Jasprit Bumrah), and all-rounder (Ravindra Jadeja)—the perfect ingredients for the opening course of a potentially unforgettable series. The other venues on this tour are still holding their breath over Bumrah’s workload management.

Remember The Oval Test of 2011? RP Singh was recalled from a vacation in Miami, Ian Bell struck a double-century, Graeme Swann picked up six wickets, Rahul Dravid produced his third century of a difficult tour, Suresh Raina bagged a 42-ball pair, and India were handed a humiliating 4-0 whitewash by England.

That match was the last time India played a Test without any of these five stalwarts — in order of their Test-cap numbers — Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma. Fourteen years later, when India take the field against England on Friday, none of them will be part of the XI. Leeds won’t just signal the start of a fresh Test series in England or a new World Test Championship cycle — it will mark the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket.

It might feel ominous to start a fresh series by revisiting the 4-0 drubbing of 2011, but in many ways, it’s fitting. That defeat triggered a complete overhaul of Indian Test cricket within a year, paving the way for what became the most adaptable and successful red-ball side in their history. Now, in 2025, India embark on another challenging tour of England, this time with the responsibility of trying to emulate—or even surpass—that golden era, with a largely new group of players.

The last transition was abrupt, marked by three retirements during a single series. There’s no gentle introduction this time either—no home Tests against struggling opposition to break in new faces. The Shubman Gill era begins with a full-fledged dive into the deep end, in tough English conditions.

At 25 years and 285 days old on day one, Gill is poised to become India’s fifth-youngest Test captain, behind MAK Pataudi, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri, pushing Kohli (26 years and 34 days) down to sixth place.

There’s clear vulnerability here, and India will sense it. And importantly, India have Jasprit Bumrah. For a transitioning Indian side stripped of its usual experience and star names, Bumrah is the key figure who can shift the balance on his own. He remains the one bowler Bazball hasn’t yet decoded.

Bumrah has dismissed Joe Root nine times in Test matches—more than any other batsman he has dismissed. Only Pat Cummins (11 dismissals) and Josh Hazlewood (10 dismissals) have gotten Root out more frequently.

A year later, the question now circles back to India: can they show more courage than England did last summer, or more than they themselves managed during their recent tour of Australia? Courage, here, doesn’t mean intent with the bat alone—it’s about picking bowling attacks capable of claiming 20 wickets. That’s where possibilities emerge when you juggle strengths and weaknesses. As Rishabh Pant pointed out, India won’t be staring down James Anderson or Stuart Broad anymore.

Since his first England tour in 2018, KL Rahul has scored more runs (597 at an average of 37.31) and registered more centuries (two) than any other visiting opener in England.

One now lends his name to the trophy; the other will be watching from the commentary box. What remains is a seam attack with just eight Tests of combined experience. But factor in a fully fit Chris Woakes and an all-in Ben Stokes in these conditions, and suddenly it’s like England having Ashwin and Jadeja at home—batting depth paired with ruthless bowling in friendly surroundings.

And so begins the first chapter for India’s Gen-Z captain—not at a fortress, but at a venue where control is a myth. Where old bear pits decay in forgotten corners, where the past clings to brick walls, and where cricket matches seldom unfold neatly. For India, this is far more than just the beginning of a series. It’s the dawn of a new era: a fresh team, a new World Test Championship cycle, and even a new trophy—fittingly named after Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson, two giants of the modern era, now forever linked in this next chapter of the game’s evolving story.

England vs India 1st Test: Recent Form

England: WLWWL
India: LLDLW

England vs India 1st Test: Head-to-head

India have contested seven previous Tests at Headingley, with four losses, one draw, and memorable victories in 1986 and 2002.

• Matches Played: 136
• England Won: 51
• India Won: 35
• Drawn: 50
• First Meeting: 25th to 28th June, 1932
• Last Meeting: 7th to 9th March, 2024

England vs India 1st Test: Weather Report & Pitch Conditions

Headingley’s pitches typically start with green seam movement before settling into a flatter track. Since 2010, it has recorded the lowest combined batting average (27.48) in the first two innings among English grounds hosting at least five Tests, while boasting the highest combined average (33.65) in the final two innings.

Choosing to bowl first has proven advantageous here, with teams winning all of the last six Tests at Headingley. Notably, the past four successful fourth-innings chases at this venue were substantial, with targets of 322, 359, 296, and 251.

However, there might be a twist this time. Leeds has experienced unusually warm and dry conditions leading up to the upcoming Test against India, which could cause the pitch to deteriorate more than usual—even though rain is forecast during the five days.

The pitch typically shows a greenish hue before the match but tends to ease up, offering early assistance to bowlers before becoming more batting-friendly. With sunny weather predicted throughout the Test, the surface is expected to improve progressively. Recent county games at Headingley in May also followed the trend of teams opting to bowl first.

England vs India 1st Test: Team News and Predicted XI

England – Team News

England finalized their playing XI just two days before the Test, opting to keep Ollie Pope at No. 3 while Jacob Bethell remains on standby. Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue have been chosen to lead the pace attack.

England – Playing XI

1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Ben Stokes (c)
7. Jamie Smith (wk)
8. Chris Woakes
9. Brydon Carse
10. Josh Tongue
11. Shoaib Bashir

India – Team News

Gill will slot into the No. 4 position left open by Kohli, while Rishabh Pant takes No. 5. India faces a decision to select two from Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and the uncapped B Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran for the Nos. 3 and 6 spots. Reflecting the approach from the Australia tour, there’s a possibility of including three of these five—two specialist batsmen alongside Reddy as a seam-bowling allrounder.

Should India choose not to expand their batting depth further, the No. 8 spot might be filled by either the bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur or wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are expected to lead the pace attack, supported by either Prasidh Krishna’s bounce, Akash Deep’s precision and seam movement, or Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm swing. Indications suggest Karun Nair will make a comeback to the Test XI at No. 3 after an eight-year gap. The competition for the sixth batting position appears to be between Nitish Reddy and Sai Sudharsan, with practice sessions hinting that the allrounder will start the series, backed by four fast bowlers including Shardul Thakur at No. 8.

India – Predicted XI

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. KL Rahul
3. Karun Nair
4. Shubman Gill (capt)
5. Rishabh Pant (wk)
6. Sai Sudharsan/Nitish Kumar Reddy/Kuldeep Yadav
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Shardul Thakur/Arshdeep Singh
9. Prasidh Krishna
10. Jasprit Bumrah
11. Mohammed Siraj

England vs India 1st Test: Players Under the Spotlight

Chris Woakes (England)

Due to injury setbacks, England begins the series with just two fast bowlers—Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue—who together have only eight Tests of experience, alongside offspinner Shoaib Bashir, who has played 16. Lacking a true fifth bowler, England may need Ben Stokes to shoulder a heavier bowling workload than he has in recent years.

In this scenario, Chris Woakes emerges as a crucial figure. With 57 Tests under his belt and approaching 200 wickets, Woakes boasts an impressive home record of 137 wickets at an average of 21.59. Recently, he has stepped up as the senior leader in England’s attack, claiming 31 wickets at 23.58 across eight Tests since Anderson’s retirement.

Shubman Gill (India)

He is poised to become India’s 37th men’s Test captain, ushering in a new era and stepping into the role he has long seemed destined for: Kohli’s successor as the iconic face of Indian cricket. Shubman Gill is about to play his 33rd Test, carrying a batting average of 35.05.

While that number may understate his ability—considering he has often batted on challenging pitches where the top-seven batters average just 32.10—you still expect more from a talent of Gill’s caliber. He holds himself to high standards, and there’s no better moment to make a statement than in his first series as captain.

England vs India 1st Test: Match Prediction

This Test at Headingley promises a thrilling contest between two evolving sides. England’s inexperienced pace attack will be tested by India’s formidable batting lineup, led by the new captain Shubman Gill.

With Jasprit Bumrah spearheading the bowling, India holds a slight edge, especially if their batters can negotiate England’s swinging conditions early on. Expect a closely fought battle, but India’s depth and leadership could just tip the scales in their favor.

When and Where to Watch the England vs India 1st Test LIVE? Live Telecast and Streaming Details

The first test match between England and India will be held from Friday, June 20-24, with Day 1 starting at 3 PM IST. The match will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports network, and you can also stream it live on the JioHotstar website and app.

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