England will take on India in the 1st Test of the five-match Test series. The match will be played at Headingley, Leeds from 20th June 2025 to 24th June 2025 at 3:30 PM IST. England England is set to start their fresh WTC cycle under Ben Stokes, aiming to do better this time after back-to-back disappointing performances in the previous two cycles. The England team have many seam options but will be led by the veteran Chris Woakes, backed by Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue and skipper Ben Stokes himself. The squad also has lone spinner Shoaib Bashir in it to provide the much-needed spin option. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley are set to be the opening duo, and Ollie Pope will get a chance at number three instead of Jacob Bethell. The batting depth will be strengthened by veterans Joe Root and Ben Stokes. India India, on the other hand, is coming into this series after losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia last time. They had a fair chance to make it to the WTC final for the third consecutive time, but they failed miserably. Now, under a new leader, Shubman Gill and deputy Rishabh Pant, India is set to play England at their own home. With no Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the squad after their retirement, this squad has many challenges to conquer. However, Jasprit Bumrah will be seen leading the bowling unit, along with Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. ENG vs IND 1st Test: Pitch Report The surface at Leeds ground has always favoured the pacers, with little more assistance to hit-the-deck bowlers who bowl good length bouncers and have extra pace. It becomes more deadly for the batters during the first session, while batting first, the pacers get a scary amount of assistance with speed. If the team can play cautiously, then they will go on to play well on this surface. The surface is poised to be high-scoring ground and should bring a lot of drama and runs to the table this time as well. The first innings total at this venue is 277, which gets increased to 377 in the second innings and slightly decreases as the match progresses. The venue has hosted 84 matches of the longest format of the games. 29 of those have been won by the team that bats first, while 36 have been won by the chasing team. ENG vs IND 1st Test: Weather Report There are no chances of rain during the first Test match between England and India; however, slight drizzles are likely to arrive during the fourth or fifth day. The maximum temperature is predicted to be 28°C while the minimum temperature would be 15°C. ENG vs IND Head-to-Head (in Tests) ENG vs IND head-to-head (in Tests) Match Played 136 Won by England 51 Won by India 36 No Result 0 Drawn 50 Probable XI England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir. India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj. Must-Pick Players for ENG vs IND 1st Test Top Wicketkeeper to Pick Rishabh Pant | IND: Rishabh Pant is one of the finest and experienced batters in the current squad of the Indian Test team. This left-hander is short of just 52 runs to his 3000 run milestone in this format; he has hit 6 Test centuries to his name. His experience and ability to bat on the English surface will surely give fruitful results. Top Batters to Pick Joe Root | ENG: The 34-year-old batter is the leading run scorer for England in the Test format. He has played 153 Test matches and has achieved over 13000 runs at a phenomenal average of 50.80, including 36 Test centuries and 65 half-centuries. He should be included, keeping his consistent form in your mind. KL Rahul | IND: The experienced Indian batter, KL Rahul, enjoys batting in England. He has played 24 Test innings in his career so far against England and has scored 955 runs at an average of 39.8, including three centuries. He is currently one of the most experienced batters in the Test team. His presence in your dream team will boost your chances of winning. Top All-Rounders to Pick Ben Stokes | ENG: The skipper of the English team is capable of winning any Test match single-handedly from any situation. He can bat and bowl as well, scoring runs in his batting and taking regular wickets in his bowling is his regular job. In 111 Test matches, he has scored 6728 runs and has also taken 213 wickets. Missing him out won't be a good option. Shardul Thakur | IND: With over 331 runs and 31 wickets in 11 Tests, Shardul has proved his worth while playing some crucial knocks in the match-defining stages. He is also a regular wicket-taker for the team who scalps wickets in crucial situations. Keeping him out will cost you some crucial fantasy points. Top Bowlers to Pick Chris Woakes | ENG: The 36-year-old right-arm is the most experienced pacer in the England bowling unit. He has played 57 matches and has taken 181 wickets. Hence, his inclusion in your fantasy XI is a must to win. Jasprit Bumrah | IND: Jasprit Bumrah and his contribution in Indian Test cricket need no introduction, he is the only player in the Test squad who is capable of winning any match single-handedly. He has been featured in 45 Test matches and has taken 205 wickets. He is a must-have player in your fantasy eleven.