The much-anticipated Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has kicked off in lively fashion at Headingley, Leeds, with England winning the toss and electing to bowl first under clear skies—defying conventional wisdom on a seemingly bat-friendly surface.
Captain Ben Stokes, never one to shy away from bold decisions, opted to stick with England’s data-driven instincts. “Headingley is a very good cricket wicket,” he said at the toss. “Hopefully use the early conditions and get something out of it.” England’s XI was as expected, with the “usual suspects” in the top seven and Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse returning to bolster the bowling unit.
India, under newly-appointed captain Shubman Gill, would have also preferred to bowl first, but now look to make the most of the sunny conditions. “The sun is out, it’s a good batting day for us,” said Gill, who confirmed debutant Sai Sudharsan will bat at number three, while Shardul Thakur also makes the starting XI.
Sai was handed his maiden Test cap by Cheteshwar Pujara, a fitting gesture from a man who has long been the backbone of India’s top order. Gill, meanwhile, takes up the number four role vacated by Virat Kohli.
Former England skipper Mike Atherton labelled England’s decision as “interesting,” noting that “cricketing common sense”would usually dictate batting first in such conditions. Stuart Broad, on pitch report duties, described the strip as having 9mm of grass—down from the usual 12mm in county games—and expects seam movement early, but spin to come into play as the match progresses.
It’s a landmark match not just for the cricket but also for the occasion, as both sides wore black armbands in tribute to those who lost their lives in the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad.
This match marks the start of the **ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle** for both teams and kicks off a five-match series that promises high drama. For England, it’s another opportunity to showcase their aggressive “Bazball” approach, while for India, it’s a new era with fresh faces following the retirements of Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
With the weather bright for now but with possible thundery showers forecast later in the match, the stage is set for another classic at Headingley. Let the battle begin.