India vs England 1st Test Preview as Gill leads a new India out at Headingley against an inexperienced English bowling attack
India vs England promises fireworks as Gill era begins with an eye on England’s weakened bowling.
You may recall the 2011 Oval Test. RP Singh’s memory of his Miami holiday, Ian Bell’s double century, Graeme Swann’s six-for, Rahul Dravid’s third century during a back-to-the-wall tour, Suresh Raina’s 42-ball pair, and England 4, India 0—all contributed to the final score.
The last time India entered a Test match without any of the following players in their starting lineup, in order of Test-cap number: Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, and Cheteshwar Pujara. None of those players will be there when India plays England on Friday, fourteen years later.
Leeds will signal the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket as well as a new Test series in England and a new World Test Championship cycle for both nations.
Looking back to 2011 and 4-0 in anticipation of a new series feels foreboding, but it’s also apt. Within a year after that tour, India made a complete overhaul and started building the most successful and adaptable squad in their Test match history. With a mostly new roster, they start this 2025 trip with the daunting challenge of attempting to equal or surpass that team’s accomplishments.
Three retirements in a single tour marked the abrupt end of the previous era, and the new one will not be soft-launched with home series against a low-ranked opponent to ease players into new roles. At the deep end, away in England, the Shubman Gill era starts off with a bang.
Despite this, India will not be playing England in 2011, 2014, 2018, or 2021–2022. On Stuart Broad’s and James Anderson’s impressive career graphs, those four series were pivotal moments. This series will also feature Anderson as a name on the trophy and Broad as a commentator.
Therefore, inexperience is another issue for England. They will be concerned that this inexperience is concentrated in the area of quick bowling, which is the most important for winning Test matches under English conditions. Long-term injuries have kept Mark Wood and Olly Stone out, and although Gus Atkinson and Jofra Archer may play in the second Test for the first time in four years, they won’t start the series.
India will be aware of the risk here. Jasprit Bumrah is also from India.