The much-anticipated first Test of the newly christened Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy (formerly Pataudi Trophy) begins tomorrow, June 20, at Headingley in Leeds, with play starting at 3:30 PM IST. The series also marks the start of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 season for both sides.
In the previous WTC cycle, England finished sixth with 11 victories in 22 Tests. India, on the other hand, finished third after losing a record 3-0 series at home to New Zealand, followed by a 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia, which prevented them from reaching the final.
For India, the retirement of Test cricket veterans such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin signifies a turning point. Shubman Gill, who was named captain, will command a youthful team, with Rishabh Pant serving as his deputy. Middle-order batter Karun Nair, who has been picked to the squad following his heroics in domestic cricket, is likely to return to the XI after an eight-year absence. Furthermore, Sai Sudharsan, who pleased the selectors with his white ball skills, is poised to make his Test debut. Harshit Rana has been added to the side as well.
Ben Stokes’ England team has already announced their starting lineup for the first Test. Shoaib Bashir will be the only spinner, and Chris Woakes, Josh Tongue, and Brydon Carse will be in charge of pace. Joe Root and Ollie Pope will be in the top four, while Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will open. Notably, this will be the first time that four English players, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Carse, and Tongue, will be facing India.
Head-to-Head:
Historically, England and India have played 135 Tests, with England winning 51, India 35, and 50 ending in draws. With both teams combining youth and experience, an exciting duel is expected in Leeds.
Where-to-Watch:
OTT: JioHotstar
