Dale Steyn: The five-match Test series between England and India is set to commence on June 20 in Leeds. Led by newly appointed captain Shubman Gill, the Indian cricket team is gearing up for this challenging series. Gill was named captain last month following the retirements of veteran Test players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy.
Having recently showcased his leadership skills in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gill will now take on the role of Test captain for the first time. Currently, he and the squad are engaged in an intra-squad match behind closed doors as part of their preparations.
Speaking about his leadership vision for the series, Gill said, “Beyond the trophies and silverware, my aim is to create a team culture where everyone feels secure and happy. I understand the pressures of the game, with intense competition, numerous matches, and rotating squads, but fostering a positive environment is my key goal.”
This series also marks the beginning of India’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.
The upcoming tour of England signals an important new chapter for Team India, as a fresh lineup faces the formidable challenge of English conditions. Historically, India has won only three Test series in England over the last century — in 1971, 1986, and 2007 — highlighting the rarity of such success on English soil.
Dale Steyn: Notably, each of those victories came under the leadership of new or first-time captains: Ajit Wadekar in 1971, Kapil Dev in 1986, and Rahul Dravid in 2007. This emphasizes the vital impact fresh leadership has had in these landmark wins.
“3-2 in Favour of England” – Dale Steyn Predicts India Will Lose the Series Despite Strong Fight
Dale Steyn Speaking on JioHotstar ahead of the first Test at Headingley, Dale Steyn said, “All games will be close, but all will have a result. I think it will be 3-2 in favour of England. There won’t be any one-sided matches — every Test will go down to the wire.”
While Steyn praised the competitiveness of the revamped Indian squad, he believes England will ultimately edge out the series.
India’s Test squad for the England series:
Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shard