The Indian cricket team departed from Mumbai Airport on Friday for their much-anticipated five-match Test series in England, marking the beginning of their campaign in the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.
The series, scheduled between June and August 2025, will feature matches at iconic English venues including Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord’s and The Oval (London), and Old Trafford (Manchester).
This tour signals the start of a new chapter for Indian Test cricket following the recent retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format. With Shubman Gill taking over the captaincy and Rishabh Pant named vice-captain, the team is undergoing a generational transition.
India is aiming to break a 17-year drought, having last won a Test series in England in 2007. To bolster preparations, several Indian players have already been in England representing India A in a series of warm-up matches against the England Lions. The rest of the squad is set to join them ahead of the first Test.
Meanwhile, the India A team is currently playing a three-match unofficial Test series against the England Lions. The opening game ended in a draw, and the second match begins Friday at the County Ground in Northampton.
England, on the other hand, announced a revamped squad for the opening Test at Headingley, signaling a shift in their approach following a 4-1 series defeat in India earlier this year. With veteran pacer James Anderson retiring and the exclusion of key players like Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Ollie Robinson, the English side looks markedly different.
India’s Test Squad for England Tour:
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
England Squad for First Test:
Ben Stokes (c), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
The series promises to be a closely watched contest as both sides enter a new era, with India seeking to assert dominance overseas and England rebuilding after recent setbacks.
