Pakistan is set to tour England in the summer of 2026 for a highly anticipated three-match Test series, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Thursday. The red-ball series will form part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle and will be played across three iconic venues in August and September.

The opening Test will be held at Headingley in Leeds from 19 to 23 August, followed by the second Test at Lord’s in London from 27 to 31 August. The tour will conclude with the third and final Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham from 9 to 13 September. All matches are scheduled to start at 3:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PKT).

This will be Pakistan’s fourth Test series in England since 2016 and the 29th bilateral Test series between the two sides since they first met in 1954. With a rich history between the two teams and the matches being played at venues deeply woven into cricketing folklore, fans on both sides are eagerly looking forward to a high-quality contest.

Shaheen's Tour Lays Foundation as England Gears Up for Blockbuster 2026 Summer

Currently, Pakistan Shaheens, the country’s A team, are on a developmental tour in England, participating in 50-over and three-day matches. That series is expected to further build depth ahead of the senior side's return in 2026.

ALSO SEE: Know the schedule for England in bumper 2026 summer

For England, the tour of Pakistan is just one of the more full on international summer of 2026, with visits from New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, and women’s series against New Zealand, India, and Ireland, and topped off by the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 which England host between 12 June and 15 July.

The Test series in 2026 will add another compelling chapter to the traditional rivalry between England and Pakistan, with important World Test Championship points at stake and fierce and passionate crowds expected at all of the venues.

Pakistan Tour of England – 2026 Test Series Schedule 

The renamed 'Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy' 2025 is living up to its stature exceedingly well. Cricket fans from across the globe have been treated to some enthralling and scintillating test cricket action over the past month. With three games done and two more to go, it is turning out to be one of the most exciting and memorable clashes of all time between England and India. The latter were on the wrong side of the results in two out of the three matches and currently trail by 1-2 to the hosts. England took the lead at Leeds, were levelled in Birmingham, and came out trumps, by the barest of margins, in an intense and heated battle at Lord's. With a nine-day break between the third and fourth match set to culminate, it is almost time for the teams to go head to head, lock horns and do it all over again. The extremely anticipated test at the famous Old Trafford in Manchester is just around the corner and slated to commence from Wednesday, 23rd July 2025. 

The series is at stake, and all the talks surrounding India in the build-up have been about setting things right and making amends before it is too late. Some genuine questions arose over the Indian batters and their lacklustre performances in the third test at Lord's. Their lack of intent and application, especially in the second innings, became a subject for intensive scrutiny. Their approach and eventual inability to chase down a low score, on a tricky pitch, turned into a hot topic and the talk of the town. It is not lost on India to script a famous and fabulous comeback against all the odds. They have done and been through that previously and would hope for a similar outcome this week. To meet their expectations and justify the talent in their ranks, they must get back to the drawing board and carve out a winning tactic. To outclass England and reach The Oval, London, for the fifth and final test as being still alive in the series, the visitors must plan to field the best combination and playing eleven. They should further hope to seize those crucial moments and edge ahead in the match. 

See Also: 'India got a good chance' - Former England spinner backs India to win Manchester Test

The Three Things India must put together to win the Manchester Test

1. Fielding the perfect XI

Into the fourth test of the series, there are a few tired legs and injury concerns for the Indian team ahead of Manchester. In the bowling department, Akash Deep suffered a groin injury in the Lord's Test and is highly unlikely to play at Old Trafford, although his fitness test results are still awaited. The left-armer, Arshdeep Singh, injured himself in training and shall certainly miss the match if he were to be selected to feature. The all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, suffered an unfortunate but serious knee issue while working out in the gym and has since been ruled out of the remaining series. Setting aside all the conversations around workload management, Jasprit Bumrah, after all the confusion, is expected to play in back-to-back tests for the first time in this series. His consecutive stay was almost confirmed, in a recent interview, by Mohammed Siraj, his new ball bowling partner and a literal workhorse for the unit. Anshul Kamboj, the Haryana pacer who was part of the squad during warm-up matches, has been called as a cover and backup for the bowling arsenal. Whether he debuts or not would be interesting to see, but the likelihood of him adorning the whites is quite high.  

In batting, Karun Nair, finally, seems vulnerable to be replaced by Sai Sudarshan or Abhimanyu Easwaran. The latter has been knocking on the doors for quite some time now. Rishabh Pant injured his index finger in the previous match and did not keep the wickets for the majority of the game. He has started practicing wicket-keeping in the lead-up, but the team management might not want to risk a component of his, and this shall tempt them to play him only as a specialist batter. Dhruv Jurel becomes a certainty in such a scenario. 

Rishabh Pant could play the 4th Test as a specialist batter. pic.twitter.com/brIaXHLu7O

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 21, 2025

India's probable playing XI for the Old Trafford Test:

KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudarshan/Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Anshul Kamboj. 

2. Seizing the crucial moments

India need to fasten up their fielding and avoid being slack on the ground. During the first test of the ongoing series at Headingley, Leeds, the visitors dropped the English batters an astonishing seven times. Of these seven occasions, the left-handed opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, stationed at the slips or in the gully region, let go of the grip of the ball on four chances. One among those dropped catches proved to be extravagantly costly as Ben Duckett, after that reprieve, smashed a match-winning 149 runs to help set the foundation of England's record chase of 371 runs. Also, batters need to bat with greater responsibility and not let their hard work go in vain. They must convert their starts into big scores and relieve the pressure off the batters following them. The bowling has done extremely well, so far, on this tour, and must continue throwing its shots from the armoury. 

3. Breaking the Mental Stigma

Brushing aside the narrow and agonising loss in the third test at Lord's, India must start fresh and intense. Their test record at the Old Trafford ground, the venue for the fourth game, is not worth a look as they are yet to register a victory there in their nine previous attempts, having lost four and drawn five hitherto. Words shall be hurled at by the Englishmen, but the Indians must stay composed and let their game do the most of the talking. It will be a test of not only the skills, but also nerve, grit, and temperament. The team that plays as a unit might eventually come out of it with flying colours. In a battle that could not be more evenly matched, the margin for errors is minimal, and thus, even the pettiest of faults may become the judging factor of the five-day affair. 

With the third test of the 'Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy' imminent and fast approaching, all the drama and talks shift towards London. India's scintillating win at Edgbaston, Birmingham, evened out England's record chase at Headingley, Leeds. The series now stands level at 1-1, with the third game slated to be played at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, from Thursday, 10th July. There is only a three-day gap between the end of the second test and the start of the third. With two intensely-fought games already over, little turnaround between the current fixtures, and a bit of travelling involved from the English Midlands to the south, in London, teams might consider changes in the playing personnel. 

With everyone getting sufficient game time in the first two tests, the management, now, might consider playing those based on recent form, strategies, tactics, and those who sat out at Edgbaston courtesy of workload management. Keeping all these scenarios in consideration, teams might be tempted to ring in a few potential changes in the playing XI that takes the field at Lord's. With the venue having historically favoured fast bowlers, as is the case at any ground in England, bolstering the pace battery is an imperative. The slope there adds a unique dimension, with the bowlers preferring to bowl from the end that gets the geography into play, thus enabling them to make the best use of the conditions. The dry English summer, this time around, has left little scope for grass and moisture on the pitch. These circumstances have drastically brought the spinners into the picture much earlier than they used to in the past, on English soil. 

See Also:- ENG vs IND 2025: Brendon McCullum reveals pitch preferences ahead of 3rd Test at Lord’s

Jasprit Bumrah likely to return for third Test at Lord's

Conditions and venue depending, Washington Sundar might make way for the Chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav. The latter is a genuine wicket-taking option and has historically gotten under the skin of the English batters with his subtle variations. His leg spin, googlies, and flippers have proven to disguise and fox the opposition batters. His inclusion may weaken India's batting a bit, but surely won't let the Englishmen break free in terms of their run-scoring.

Jasprit Bumrah is a certainty to take the new ball for India at Lord's, and his return was confirmed by the skipper, Shubman Gill, in the post-match presentation at Edgbaston. Prasidh Krishna's place is likely to be taken away to create space for the number one-ranked test bowler in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) rankings. Sai Sudarshan might, again, have to wait for his turn as Karun Nair is expected to hold the number three spot despite his average returns so far. Nitish Kumar Reddy shall get another go at Lord's and would be expected to play the all-rounder role better than the last match, batting with the tail, and bowling some crucial overs. 

Stuart Broad said, "this Indian bowling attack would worry me if I was in that England batting lineup". (Sky Sports). pic.twitter.com/C229JMXocy

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 8, 2025

India's probable playing XI for the third test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep. 

Arguably, the best bowler of our generation, India's pace sensation, Jasprit Bumrah, is a cut above the rest. Time and again, he has proven his worth, gold in the Indian team, with his surreal performances to bail them out of tough circumstances. His indelible impact has a lasting effect on everyone alike and is a part of the rich heritage of World Cricket. Termed as a 'National Asset' by several cricket pundits for his impeccable bowling exploits, the spearhead is synonymous with exemplary displays and is a dream for every captain to throw the ball to. There are not many players who can replicate similar consistencies across formats, but Jasprit, more than capable of doing that, makes him the leader of the pack. Youngsters try to emulate his bowling skills, however unique and tough they may be, which proves he is a source of immense inspiration for multitudes of people. 

However, like two sides of a coin, players, particularly fast bowlers, are no strangers to injuries and setbacks. The other side of the story is often painful, away from the game, and requires operative surgeries. Being a workhorse, their task is strenuous and puts a great deal of exertion on their bodies. Jasprit also has had his fair share of injuries, primarily recurring back problems. These issues have plagued him over the years and forced him to miss a few important series and International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments, like the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 and the following World Test Championship (WTC) final 2023, against Australia, at the Oval in London. His absence, without a doubt, left a deep hole in the balance of the national and franchise teams, and more often than not, made the bowling arsenal depleted. Consequently, the teams have failed to stitch up better performances with the ball, and that has led to a downfall in the eventual results. His vulnerability to a breakdown has prompted the team management to look after him carefully and maintain his workload. This has been taken up to ensure his immaculate efficiency, controlled bowling prowess, and longevity. 

See Also:- [WATCH] ENG vs IND: Jasprit Bumrah bowling at nets of Lord's

As unique as his wits and skills are, Bumrah is special in every way. They say, "Comebacks must be greater than the setbacks", and his returns on every occasion, to competitive cricket, after long injury delays, have been exceptional and better than when he left the field. Always striving for improvements, these intrinsic characteristics make him a gem of a player and an even better human being. With the ongoing 'Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy', it might be fitting to comprehend India's test record with and without their talismanic player, Jasprit Bumrah. The latter was rested from the second test, as part of workload management, at Edgbaston, which India won comprehensively to square the series against England and is now raring to go, at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, to unleash at their batters. He will expect better support around him from his fellow bowling partners, unlike in the first test at Leeds.

Shubman Gill said, "Jasprit Bumrah will definitely be back for the Lord's Test". pic.twitter.com/wbRP2L1vR0

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 6, 2025

A detailed matrix to analyse the team's red ball results, since his debut in 2017-18 in South Africa, in his presence and absence, shall go a long way to understand his availability and impact. It will certainly also help in realizing the over-reliance of the team on him and the subsequent preparations for the future once he hangs up his cricket boots.

Key stats of India's performance with and without Jasprit Bumrah

India have played 72 tests since Jasprit Bumrah first ran in with the red ball at Cape Town in January 2018. The numbers might seem astonishing, but it is worth noting that out of the 26 tests that Bumrah missed playing in, almost all of them were in Asia. In the subcontinent conditions, India historically have operated and dominated with three quality and match-winning spinners, and Bumrah, even if present, would not have bowled much anyway. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has largely used his services on overseas tours and predominantly in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). So, among the 46 tests that he has featured in, so far, 34 of them have come abroad, including the WTC final 2021, against New Zealand, at Southampton, England, which India lost. Surprisingly, Bumrah finally made his home test debut in Chennai, against England in early 2021, three years after his first tryst in South Africa. 

One of Jasprit's all-time best performances came Down Under in 2024-25, where he finished that BGT series as the highest wicket taker and single-handedly kept India in the hunt. His presence does tilt the pendulum in the team's favour, but they must perpetuate themselves and navigate through his intermittent availability. Whether or not he plays all of the remaining matches on English soil, his presence and absence will be treated and scrutinised democratically.  

Workload management is a very contentious topic in the Indian cricket circuit, and an issue that has led to some of the most baffling selection decisions in recent times. With cricket being played all year-round, across levels and formats, players hardly get time for rest and recovery. This packed schedule has cramped and made them injury-prone. There have been several instances of feeling burnt out among the players, particularly fast bowlers, due to the strenuous number of overs they are required to bowl in variable conditions. With the ongoing five-match test series between England and India for the 'Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy', the selectors and team management are faced with the difficult task of managing the loads of the Indian quicks. Their work has been exacerbated because of both tests, played out so far, ending late on day five. 

With a short turnaround of only three days between the second and third test, slated to be played at the iconic 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, from 10th July, it might be tempting for the coaching staff to ponder resting players who have had the maximum workout in the first two tests. One name that might stand out in this case is that of Mohammed Siraj. The Indian pace sensation is a literal workhorse and never lets his intensity drop a bit at any moment in the match. Bowling every time with all his heart, the Hyderabadi pacer is every captain's dream and go-to bowler. His exuberance reflects in his bowling, and that makes things happen even on the most placid of pitches.

Having featured in both of the tests so far, Siraj took the bowling leadership role in the second one at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He produced a stunning display, struck six times in the first innings, at important moments, and never let the momentum drift towards England. Nicknamed 'Mia', Siraj stepped up and finished with figures of 6/70 that included the wickets of big fish in Joe Root and the opposition skipper, Ben Stokes. With this remarkable feat, he now boasts third third-best bowling figures by a visiting player at the venue.

See Also: Mohammed Siraj rates top three Test matches of his Test career, surprising picks

Going through a purple patch at the moment, the team management faces a peculiar dilemma over Siraj. The character in him would not want to take a break from the Lord's test and instead pair up with Bumrah once again to unleash fire on England. The latter was rested from the second test for similar reasons and is now definitely in line for a return in the starting XI come Thursday. Having mentioned all, it might still prompt the management to consider resting Siraj and perhaps risk weakening the bowling arsenal. However, in the long term, rests like these shall certainly aid the lion-hearted bowler in prolonging his career. A look at the series statistics of the Indian quicks, so far, might help comprehend the impact of each one of them, and thus, the consequences of resting them. 

Whatever the decision, and then the subsequent changes in the playing XI for the upcoming test, India boasts a pace battery unlike any other team. With players like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana waiting on the fringes, the bowling attack looks sorted and potent. Also, there is no big series after this one, so the management and players might want to give it all and produce the best cricketing stuff. This would not only position and enable India to win a test series in England after 2007, but also mean a noble start in this new World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle 2025-27. 

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is turning out to be one of the most intriguing India-England test rubbers to have ever been contested. After a record chase of 371 runs by the Ben Stokes-led English team at Headingley, Leeds, India bounced back at Edgbaston in Birmingham to square the series at 1-1. With three more tests to be played, the battle is intensifying, and cricket is becoming scintillating. Both teams, fielding relatively younger sides as compared to the past, have evened out the clash, and this sets up beautifully for the rest of the English summer. 

The Shubman Gill-led India produced a fitting and emphatic reply to that embarrassing defeat in Leeds. The newly appointed test skipper became the protagonist of a famous win in Birmingham, to level the series. They outplayed England in all facets, thumped them to claim a win for the ages, and a first at the venue in their ninth attempt. Gill displayed a batting masterclass by scoring 430 runs in two innings and becoming the batter with the second-highest aggregate in a test match, behind Graham Gooch's 456 against India in 1990. At 25 years and 301 days, the elegant Indian player also became the youngest skipper to win an overseas test. Akash Deep, the rising pace sensation, looked a class apart and returned the best match figures for an Indian bowler in England by finishing at 10/187. 

A victory as fashionable as this one brought with it several records, but none of them greater than the Indian team registering their biggest away win in a test match by a margin of runs. This Edgbaston classic of 2025 is now etched in history as the first one in that list, courtesy of England being vanquished by a humongous margin of 336 runs. This creates curiosity among the statkeepers about other such test wins by India, ranking behind in the order. A magnified look into them might help understand the magnitude of those wins and the simultaneous ignominy inflicted on the opposition. 

See Also: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 2025: "Where Is He?" - Shubman Gill looks for Journalist who reminded him of Edgbaston record

HISTORY BY SHUBMAN GILL & HIS TEAM. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/pmFIDYrenV

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 8, 2025

List of wins are;

North Sound, Antigua, 2019

India's first-ever test match in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) 2019-21 cycle was against the West Indies in the Caribbean. Having been sent in to bat at the North Sound in Antigua, the Virat Kohli-led India went all-out for 297 runs but with sizeable contributions from KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, and Ravindra Jadeja. Ishant Sharma's five-fer restricted the opposition to 222, helping take a valuable lead. In the second innings, India set the West Indies a mammoth target of 419 runs, courtesy of a century from Rahane and fifty-plus scores from Kohli and Vihari. In their chase, the home team bundled out for a meagre 100 runs. Jasprit Bumrah was at the heart of the bowling by bagging gobsmacking figures of 8-4-7-5 in a lethal spell. India eventually won by 318 runs, their biggest away test win at that time. 

Galle, Sri Lanka, 2017

India toured Sri Lanka for an all-format series in July-August 2017. It began with the tests, and the first match was played at the picturesque Galle stadium. Opting to bat, India posted a massive total of 600 runs, with huge 150-plus scores from Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara. The hosts scored 291 runs in their first reply. With Virat Kohli leading the charge with a hundred in the second innings, Sri Lanka were set a gigantic total of 550 runs to chase. However, they were bundled out at just 245 runs, conceding the match to India by 304 runs. 

Perth, Australia, 2024

In the biggest series of 2024, India toured Down Under for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Entering the Australian shores while having been in rough waters before, courtesy of an infamous home series loss against the Kiwis, the Indians had their task cut out. The pressure was to retain the trophy and also put forward a strong stake for the imminent WTC final. The backs were against the wall, and the chips were down. But against all the adversities, India produced a magical and memorable performance in the first test at Perth, shunning the Aussies and their media alike. Choosing to bat, India could only manage a paltry total of 150, but stunned the hosts by bowling them out for even lower, a team score of just 104 runs. In the second turn, India turned the tables and outbatted the Aussies by accumulating 487 runs through essential contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. While chasing, Jasprit Bumrah's bowling heroics foxed the opposition batters, and India, in unbelievable circumstances, defeated Australia by 295 runs. 

Leeds, England, 1986

The Kapil Dev-led India toured Great Britain in 1986. In the second test match at Leeds in June, the Indians scripted a historical win over the Englishmen. Coming into this one on the back of a victory in the first game in London, India's World Cup-winning captain in 1983, elected to bat. In both innings, they scored 272 and 237 runs respectively, with impactful contributions from Dilip Vengsarkar (61 and 102). He also went on to win the man of the match award. England, in their batting scorecard, could only manage 102 and 128 runs, respectively, in their two innings, with Roger Binny scalping the most number of wickets. India claimed a victory by 279 runs and took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the series.  

Australia has announced a powerful 15-man team for their September 2025 tour of the West Indies as part of preparations for the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The team is led by skipper Pat Cummins and will look to continue their recent success after winning the 2023 WTC final and taking a 3-1 series win over India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year. The tour features two Test matches, three ODIs, and three T20Is, with a mix of formats challenging evenly in the Caribbean.

The team has a balance of veterans and young players. The batting is led by old warhorses Steven Smith (vice-captain), Usman Khawaja, and Marnus Labuschagne, as well as electric operators Travis Head and Cameron Green. Alex Carey and Josh Inglis share the wicket-keeping, and Beau Webster brings all-rounder depth to the party. Australia's fast bowling attack continues to be powerful with Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland, backed by spinners Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann. Sam Konstas, a young opener who impressed in domestic cricket, gets his first call-up, replacing injured David Warner, who retired from international cricket in 2024. Brendon Doggett has been included as a traveling reserve.

West Indies, with Kraigg Brathwaite in Tests and Shai Hope in white-ball cricket, will try to take advantage of home conditions to test the Australians. Since the Tests are a part of the WTC cycle, both sides will be keen to pick up vital points. The series also marks the first bilateral tour by Australia to the West Indies since 2021, which makes it a competitive contest on the cards.

Squad Details

Australia Squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steven Smith (vc), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

Also Read: Australia squad for World Test Championship final 2025

The tour starts with the first Test on September 10, 2025, in Trinidad, with ODIs and T20Is to follow in Barbados, Guyana, and St. Lucia, guaranteeing an action-packed battle of cricketing giants.