IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Probable playing XI, Head to Head and Headingley stadium stats

Team India is ready to begin their highly awaited five-Test series against England on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. This is a new era for Indian Test cricket, as the team is now being led by Shubman Gill after stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired. Rishabh Pant is back on the team as vice-captain and wicketkeeper, while Gautam Gambhir, who has just been made team mentor, is in charge of this new-look team as India starts its campaign in the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.

The playing XI includes a few young guns like Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, and Harshit Rana. Arshdeep Singh's Test debut can be anticipated as well, bolstering India's pace attack along with Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur. England, with skipper Ben Stokes at the helm, will also hope to carry their home dominance forward, with veteran campaigners like Joe Root, Ben Duckett, and Harry Brook holding the keys for the middle order.

Historically, India has struggled in England, having won a mere 3 of the 19 Test series hosted on British soil. At Headingley, Leeds, India has hosted 7 Tests against England, winning 2, losing 4, and drawing 1. Their recent visit in 2021 was a comprehensive loss. With a new skipper, vice-skipper, and a new youth-filled team dynamic, India hopes to turn the tables and kickstart well in this pivotal away series.

Probable Playing XIs for 1st Test

India Probable XI:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill (C), Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (VC/WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh

England Playing XI:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir

IND vs ENG Head-to-Head at Headingley

India and England have faced each other in seven Test matches at Headingley, Leeds. England holds the upper hand with 4 wins, while India has emerged victorious twice. A single match has been drawn. India played their first Test at this legendary ground in 1952 and lost. The last match between the two sides at Headingley was in 2021, where India, led by Virat Kohli, lost comprehensively. India will be looking to rewrite the history books with a youthful squad and new management and make a statement with their opening test at this iconic venue.

IND vs ENG – Head-to-Head in Tests

India and England have played 136 Test matches overall, with England winning 51 and India 35. The remaining 50 matches have ended in draws. The rivalry dates back to 1932 and remains one of the fiercest in Test cricket.

• Total Matches: 136
• England Wins: 51
• India Wins: 35
• Draws: 50

See Also: Big names missing for Australia ahead of West Indies Test tour: Know all about it

Headingley Cricket Ground—Test Match Stats

The iconic Headingley in Leeds has hosted 81 Test matches since 1899. While this venue is notorious for assisting seam bowlers at the beginning, the pitch has also produced some large scores. Second-innings batting teams have an edge here, with 34 victories to 29 by teams batting first. In a surprise twist, the toss has had minimal impact on outcomes—teams losing the toss have actually won more games (32) than winning the toss (31).

• Total Matches: 81
• Batting 1st Wins: 29
• Batting 2nd Wins: 34
• Draw/No Result: 18
• Highest Individual Score: 334 by Don Bradman (1930)
• Best Bowling (Innings): 8/43 by Bob Willis (1981)
• Best Match Figures: 15/99 by Colin Blythe (1907)
• Highest Team Total: 653/4d by Australia (1993)
• Lowest Team Total: 61 by West Indies (2000)
• Highest Successful Chase: 404/3 by Australia (1948)