India vs England 2025: Shubman Gill’s India are slated to take on Ben Stokes’ England in their first Test of the new World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, starting Friday, at the famous Headingley Grounds in Leeds.
The hallowed venue, one of the oldest in the UK, has witnessed several iconic Test matches in recent years, including Stokes’ epic fourth-innings hundred in the 2019 Ashes to hand England a one-wicket victory.
Interestingly, India and England have not featured in consistent Tests at the ground across the last five editions of the series between 2007 and 2021. During their last visit to the venue during the 2021-22 tour, India were humbled as the Joe Root-led side dismissed them out for 78 in the first innings, their lowest team score in England, before inflicting an innings defeat. However, not all Headingley memories turn cold for India as their previous visit back in 2002 proved to be a rare instance where India’s top batters fired in unison.
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IND vs ENG Leeds Test, 2002: When Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly smashed hundreds at Headingley
Shortly after their historic 2002 Natwest Tri-Series triumph at Lord’s, Sourav Ganguly’s men went down to England in the first Test of the series at the same ground, within a fortnight. A drawn second Test at Nottingham meant India could have only gotten back with a firm reply in the following Tests and the best of India’s premier batters did turn up immediately in the third match at Headingley.
Batting first, India lost Virender Sehwag early before Rahul Dravid and Sanjay Bangar forged a strong association to rebuild the innings after Ganguly decided to bat first in typically seam-friendly conditions. Piling on one of his most famous centuries, Dravid’s adept counter-attack against the swinging ball propelled him to 148 before Sachin Tendulkar cracked a 330-ball 193, his highest Test score in England, as India batted into the third day. Even skipper Ganguly racked up a quick century, gathering 128 in 167 deliveries, making it the only Test instance where the trio recorded centuries in the same innings.
India proceeded to bundle England out twice within the remaining period to etch an important innings and 46-run victory and eventually draw the series 1-1. In five previous Tests at the ground since 1952, India had only managed one victory in 1986 on the back of Dilip Vengsarkar’s second-innings heroics.
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IND vs ENG Test record at England
Matches: 7; England won: 4; India won: 2; Drawn: 1
What is England’s Test record at Headingley, Leeds?
England have played 80 Tests at Headingley since 1899, winning 37 and losing 27 matches besides 18 draws. England are currently on a five-match winning streak at the venue, their best since six successive wins between 1956-62 at the ground.