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India.com
20-06-2025
- Climate
- India.com
India vs England 1st Test Pitch Report: Will The Green Leeds Surface Aid Swing Or Support Bazball?
As the cricketing world gears up for the high-voltage India vs England 1st Test at Headingley, all eyes are on the pitch conditions at Leeds, which may very well dictate the flow of this five-match Test series. With Shubman Gill set to make his captaincy debut and England sticking to their fearless Bazball strategy, the narrative promises both tension and transition. Two days before the first ball is bowled at Headingley Stadium, the pitch was covered with a lush green grass layer. While such a surface traditionally spells doom for batters—especially with the Dukes ball swinging in cloudy conditions—what makes this situation intriguing is the hot and dry Leeds weather leading up to the game. Despite the green top, the pitch has spent considerable time under covers, indicating a conservative approach by ground staff. This decision was likely influenced by the unpredictability of English weather and the importance of hosting the series opener on a balanced surface. Groundsman's Take: A Batting-Friendly Surface on the Cards Richard Robinson, Head of Grounds at Headingley, revealed England's intention to play on a "good surface" that facilitates stroke play. "They're looking for a surface where they can hit through the line of the ball," he noted—clearly suggesting an effort to assist England's ultra-aggressive Bazball approach. While the surface may assist seamers in the opening hour, especially with any early morning moisture, it is expected to flatten out by Day 2, providing value for shots and aiding batting line-ups on both sides. This evolving nature of the pitch could lead to an evenly poised contest rather than a typical English swing-fest. India's Transition Era Begins Without Rohit, Kohli, Ashwin For India, the match isn't just about testing skills in foreign conditions—it marks the beginning of a new era. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin now retired from Test cricket, India fields a fresh core led by Shubman Gill, whose overseas record remains under scrutiny. Gill, averaging just 14.66 in England, has been handed the mantle at a pivotal juncture. However, he sounded upbeat in the pre-match press conference, stating, 'I want to be the best batter in the series.' He will bat at No. 4, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are likely to open the innings. India's probable playing XI could also feature Karun Nair at No. 3, returning to the Test setup after seven years. The inclusion of Dhruv Jurel as a potential sixth batter, Ravindra Jadeja for balance, and one of Shardul Thakur or Nitish Reddy to support the bowling attack, reflects the team's search for a winning formula. England's XI Without Anderson-Broad Pair; Pope Gets Backing England, meanwhile, unveiled their playing XI early. Notably, the absence of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and injury to Gus Atkinson, has left the pace attack reliant on Chris Woakes and a relatively inexperienced support cast. However, England's batting core looks solid, with Ollie Pope preferred over Jacob Bethell, despite the latter's stellar domestic form. Backed by a familiar system and home advantage, England will hope the surface stays true to their batting-first game plan. Edgbaston Pitch Forecast: Bowl First, Bat Big While often confused with Headingley, Edgbaston in Leeds has been the surprising host this time. Reports confirm that while there was a green tinge, it's likely to be trimmed before the toss. Expect early movement on Day 1, with conditions easing out from Day 2 onwards, especially given the hot and humid forecast. Experts suggest that bowling first may be advantageous, capitalizing on early seam before setting up a large first-innings total. India's Headingley Record: History Offers Hope India's last outing at Headingley in 2021 ended in disappointment with a crushing innings defeat. However, memories of the iconic 2002 victory, under Sourav Ganguly's leadership, still linger. The Men in Blue will hope to recreate that magic, this time under a youthful skipper charting a bold new course.
New Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
England want to have a good surface to hit through the line against India: Leeds curator
LEEDS: The unusually dry weather here, combined with England's aggressive style of play, has increased expectations of a "good surface" for the opening Test against India beginning on Friday, Leeds head of grounds Richard Robinson has said. Leeds usually hosts a Test in the middle of a series but staging of the opening game has attracted a lot more attention. "They (England) just want to have a good surface so it's true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball. That's really what they're looking for," Richard Robsinon, head of grounds at Leeds, was quoted as saying by 'ESPNCricinfo'. Robinson expects the pitch to aid the fast bowlers on the opening day before flattening out due to the expected heat. A batting surface would not only suit England's Bazball, it would also bring the inexperienced Indian batting line-up much more into the contest. Following the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, K L Rahul will be the senior-most in the Indian side led by Shubman Gill, who will have a point to prove considering his ordinary record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries. The line-up also includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is on his maiden tour of England with the senior team, and Karun Nair, who last played a Test in 2017. While India arrived here on Monday, England had a training session at Headingley where the surface remained covered during the day. India have not played here a lot over the last two decades. They suffered an innings defeat in 2021 and in their previous outing in 2002, they registered a famous victory.
NDTV
18-06-2025
- Climate
- NDTV
England's Pitch Ploy vs India In 1st Test Revealed By Curator: "They Just Want To..."
The unusually dry weather in Leeds, combined with England's aggressive style of play, has increased expectations of a "good surface" for the opening Test against India beginning on Friday, Leeds head of grounds Richard Robinson has said. Leeds usually hosts a Test in the middle of a series but staging of the opening game has attracted a lot more attention. "They (England) just want to have a good surface so it's true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball. That's really what they're looking for," Richard Robsinon, head of grounds at Leeds, was quoted as saying by 'ESPNCricinfo'. Robinson expects the pitch to aid the fast bowlers on the opening day before flattening out due to the expected heat. A batting surface would not only suit England's Bazball, it would also bring the inexperienced Indian batting line-up much more into the contest. Following the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, KL Rahul will be the senior-most in the Indian side led by Shubman Gill, who will have a point to prove considering his ordinary record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries. The line-up also includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is on his maiden tour of England with the senior team, and Karun Nair, who last played a Test in 2017. While India arrived in Leeds on Monday, England had a training session at Headingley where the surface remained covered during the day. India have not played here a lot over the last two decades. They suffered an innings defeat in 2021 and in their previous outing in 2002, they registered a famous victory.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
England want to have a good surface to hit through the line against India: Leeds curator
The unusually dry weather here, combined with England's aggressive style of play, has increased expectations of a "good surface" for the opening Test against India beginning on Friday (June 20, 2025), Leeds head of grounds Richard Robinson has said. Leeds usually hosts a Test in the middle of a series but staging of the opening game has attracted a lot more attention. "They (England) just want to have a good surface so it's true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball. That's really what they're looking for," Richard Robsinon, head of grounds at Leeds, was quoted as saying by 'ESPNCricinfo'. Robinson expects the pitch to aid the fast bowlers on the opening day before flattening out due to the expected heat. A batting surface would not only suit England's Bazball, it would also bring the inexperienced Indian batting line-up much more into the contest. Following the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, K.L. Rahul will be the senior-most in the Indian side led by Shubman Gill, who will have a point to prove considering his ordinary record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries. The line-up also includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is on his maiden tour of England with the senior team, and Karun Nair, who last played a Test in 2017. While India arrived here on Monday (June 16, 2025), England had a training session at Headingley where the surface remained covered during the day. India have not played here a lot over the last two decades. They suffered an innings defeat in 2021 and in their previous outing in 2002, they registered a famous victory.
NDTV
17-06-2025
- Climate
- NDTV
England To Test India With 'Green' Pitch In 1st Test? Leeds Curator Says 'Good' 1st Innings Total Will Be...
India will take on England in the first match of their five-Test series in Leeds on June 20. The chief pitch curator at Headingley said that although the pitch for the match will not be a 'green-top', the spectators can expect a surface that will help both the batters and bowlers. Just days ahead of the start of the encounter, pitch curator Richard Robinson told RevSportz that his aim is to create a pitch that will have a good balance in the match. He went on to add that a 300-run total will be considered good for the team batting first on the surface and batting is expected to get better as time passes. "It is supposed to be quite a hot forecast so it is good to leave a little bit of moisture to start with and see how it goes," Robinson said about the current status of the wicket. "The grass will get trimmed down. It has been a very dry summer for us, so we are injecting a lot of water into the pitch so that it holds together for 5 days. Hoping that this will be a 5-day Test match and not a 3-day Test match," he explained. The curator also said that the wicket will most probably flatten out as the match goes on and as a result, the batter will enjoy some support. 'I think if they get 300 in the first innings, they'll be good, maybe the two innings after that might be slightly higher, we'll see how it goes,' he reckoned. "I'm hoping it'll just be good for both bat and ball. Hopefully, there's a bit in it for everybody. It's supposed to be like 27-28 degrees, which is very hot for here, so it'll probably flatten out as it goes on. It's always a great atmosphere at Headingley anyway, but especially with the Indians here, it's going to be a fantastic atmosphere, especially if both are going at it, really attacking play, it'll be good to watch." Meanwhile, fast-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana will stay back with the Indian Test team in England, it has been confirmed by sources to IANS. Rana was with the India 'A' team in England to play two four-day matches against the England Lions and an intra-squad game against the Test team in Beckenham. 'Yes, after a lot of speculation going around, it has now been confirmed that Rana will stay back with the Indian Test team. But it is yet to be known if he will be officially added to the Indian Test squad ahead of the series starting on June 20,' the sources, who are aware of the development, told IANS.
