England and India are set to renew their storied Test rivalry when they clash in the opening match of a five-Test series at Headingley, Leeds, beginning on June 20, 2025.

A historic rivalry between England and India renewed at Headingley

This series will not only provide thrilling cricketing action but will also mark the commencement of a new journey for both sides in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The historic Headingley ground, where England have enjoyed significant success, is particularly daunting for visiting teams. In fact, England are currently riding high with five consecutive Test victories at this venue.

Notably, the last time the two sides met here in 2021, England crushed India by an innings and 76 runs, one of India’s more humbling defeats on England soil. The stakes are high, as this contest will set the tone for the rest of the WTC cycle. England will look to extend their dominance at Headingley and reinforce their home record under Ben Stokes‘ leadership, while India, under newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gillwill be determined to shake off the ghosts of the past and begin a new era in style.

India’s young core under Shubman Gill vs Ben Stokes-led England’s home fort

With the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having bid farewell to the longest format, the responsibility of leading India’s batting unit falls on the shoulders of emerging stars. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadaja are expected to be the backbone of India’s batting effort in English conditions. Pant’s return to full fitness is a huge boost, while Jadeja’s all-round prowess makes him invaluable, especially with the absence of Ashwin. On the bowling front, the pace pairing of Jasprit bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will spearhead the attack, aiming to exploit any early movement and bounce the Headingley surface may offer.

England, meanwhile, are riding the high of their aggressive ‘Bazball’ revolution. Their batters are expected to attack from ball one, and the conditions at home offer them the perfect stage to showcase their high-risk, high-reward style. Veteran pacers, including possibly James Anderson in his farewell series, and all-rounders like Chris Woakes will provide depth in both batting and bowling, making England a balanced and threatening side at home.

ENG vs IND, Head-to-Head record:

• Matches played: 136 | England wins: 51 | India wins: 35 | Drawn matches: 50
• Matches played in England: 67 | England wins: 36 | India wins: 9 | Drawn matches: 22
• Matches played at Headingley: 7 | England wins: 4 | India wins:2 | Drawn matches: 1

ENG vs IND, playing XI of both teams for the first Test

England:

• Zak Crawley,
• Ben Duckett,
• Ollie Pope,
• Joe Root,
• Harry Brook,
• Ben Stokes (c),
• Jamie Smith (wk),
• Chris Woakes,
• Brydon Cars
• Josh Tongue,
• Shoaib Bashir

India (Probable playing XI):

• Kl satisfied,
• Yashasvi jaiswal
• Karun nair
• Shubman Gill
• Rishabh pant (wk)
• Ravindra Jadeja,
• Nitish Kumar Reddy
• Jasprit bumrah,
• Mohammed Siraj
• Prasidh Krishna
• Kuldeep Yadav