Cricket Match Prediction | India tour of England, 2025 | England vs India | 1st Test | June 20 – England Favored as India’s Young Guns Face Swing Threat?

ENG vs IND Match Analysis

The Pataudi Trophy 2025 is set to begin on Friday, June 20, at 4 PM BST at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

Shubman Gill will lead India in Tests for the first time, guiding a slightly restructured squad as they kick off their World Test Championship 2025-2027 campaign.

On the other side, England will count on their strong batting order and a relatively inexperienced bowling attack, with Ben Stokes continuing as captain. After a period of high-octane matches, Stokes will be aiming for more consistency.

Both teams have plenty at stake, so the stage is set for a gripping series.

ENG vs IND Team Preview & Squads

England

England begins the new World Test Championship cycle with renewed energy after a disappointing previous run. A home series offers the perfect chance to reset, and ENG’s confident batting lineup looks poised to dominate.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will aim to attack early, putting India under pressure. Joe Root, with 1,574 runs at an average of nearly 75 in home Tests against India, will anchor the middle order, while Harry Brook, already with eight hundreds in 25 Tests, adds firepower.

The bowling unit lacks experience, but Brydon Carse has stood out with 27 wickets at 19.85 since early 2024. He’ll partner with the seasoned Chris Woakes. Josh Tongue and Sam Cook may face challenges against India’s deep batting, but Shoaib Bashir’s recent form adds balance to the attack.

England Squads

England Squads

Ben Stokes, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Shoaib Bashir, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

India

India’s touring squad has a fresh look, with some uncertainty around the batting order and team balance. However, the side holds plenty of promise.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul form a solid opening duo, with Yashasvi buoyed by his 700+ runs against England in their last series. Karun Nair returns after a strong County stint and joins new captain Shubman Gill in the middle order. Rishabh Pant remains the wildcard—explosive but unpredictable.

IND’s bowling attack looks more settled. Jasprit Bumrah leads the pace unit, supported by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, whose bounce suits English conditions. All-rounders Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja add depth, though their impact may depend on pitch behavior.

India Squads

India Squads

Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Harshit Rana, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar.

England vs India outfield report 

Headingley, Leeds

When circumstances at Headingley are favorable, captains who win the toss tend to bowl first.

At Headingley, swing is frequently introduced early on by overcast sky and a cool breeze, which makes things difficult for openers.

Around the fourth stump, seamers who exercise patience usually see results. By days two and three, the pitch may flatten out, improving the hitter’s opportunity to build. Typically, spinners arrive late, particularly when the surface dries out

England vs India Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In their last 5 clashes, ENG won 1 and IND won 4.

England vs India Prediction

Cricket analysts predict that England has a 69% chance of winning.