1st Test: Can Shubman Gill-led India shine at Headingley?
What's the story
The highly-anticipated five-match Test series between hosts England and India is set to kick off on June 20.
The iconic Headingley Stadium in Leeds will host the series opener.
Shubman Gill will lead a young Indian side sans Virat Kohli and Rohit, who have retired from Test cricket.
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes is back to spearhead England, who are also without their mainstay fast bowlers.
Both teams look evenly matched, promising a thrilling contest ahead.
Details
Pitch report, weather, and streaming details
As has been the case, Headingley will offer a balanced track, with pacers getting early swing. The pitch will dry up and aid the batters going forward.
As per the weather forecast, the temperature will remain around 29 degrees Celcius, with some showers possible on June 21.
In India, fans can watch the match live on the Sony Sports network and stream the same on the JioHotstar app (Start time: 3:30pm IST).
Match history
A look at head-to-head record
India and England have faced each other in 136 Tests since their first encounter in 1932.
Out of these, India have won 35 matches while England emerged victorious in 51. The remaining 50 matches have been drawn.
On English soil, the two teams have played 67 matches, with India winning nine and losing on 36 occasions.
Notably, India won two Tests during the 2021 series in England.
Probable XI
India's Probable XI
India's Playing XI will certainly see an overhaul. With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin bowing out, several young players are expected to get a chance.
Ahead of the opener, Rishabh Pant announced that skipper Gill will bat at Number 4.
Porbable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper and Vice-Captain), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
Playing XI
A look at England's Playing XI
On the other hand, England have already announced their Playing XI for the first Test.
Jacob Bethel has been dropped while Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse have returned.
Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (Captain), Jamie Smith (Wicket-keeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir.
Headingley
How both teams have fared at Headingley
Between 1899 and 2023, England have played 80 Tests at Headingley, winning 37 and losing 25. As many as 18 matches have ended in draws.
As per ESPNcricinfo, England have not lost a Test at Headingley since August 2017, when West Indies beat them.
Meanwhile, India have played seven Tests at Headingley. The visitors have won two and lost four matches here, with a solitary game ending in a draw.
India famously won the 2002 Headingley Test, by an innings.
Player spotlight
These players to have spotlight
Root, the highest run-scorer of the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship cycle, owns 2,846 runs against India.
He could become the first player with 3,000 Test runs against India. His tally of 10 Test tons is also the most against India.
Notably, Bumrah has dismissed Root as many as nine times in Test cricket. The former overall owns 60 wickets at 22.16 against England.
Notably, Gill averages just 14.66 in six Test innings in England.
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