The Headingley pitch is a key topic of focus ahead of the first Test between England and India. The toss could prove to be important given recent trends at the ground, plus the green-looking nature of the surface.
Photos have emerged on social media of the Headingley pitch a day out from the first Test. There is a significant covering of grass, much of which may be trimmed down further before play gets underway on Friday.
Heavens! Goodness! Crikey! Nothing to see here! (Delete as appropriate.) Leeds. One day out. pic.twitter.com/rV7MgDEMqn
Headingley pitch report for 1st Test of the 2025 series between England and India
The first two days are forecast to be very warm. The grass on the surface will help the track stay intact for longer. This should make batting quite pleasant on day three in particular.
Chasing sides have won seven Tests in this period, compared to just four for teams batting first. So, expect the captain who wins the toss to bowl and try make use of the green surface on day one before the dry conditions play its part.
Headingley pitch report for ENG vs IND 1st Test 2025: The first two days will be warm.
In fact, it has been a very dry period in Leeds, with a lack of rain since February. According to Richard Robinson, Yorkshire’s head of ground, the Headingley pitch should offer assistance on day one before flattening out. As per a ESPNcricinfo report, he expects the track to “do a little bit” on the first day and then ease out due to the temperatures around 30 degrees on days one and two.
“They (England) just want to have a good surface so it’s true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball,” Robinson said. “That’s really what they’re looking for.”
India are aiming to win their first Test series in England since 2007. It won’t be easy with the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin in recent months. However, it is an opportunity for new players to stand up and be counted.
That being said, England will be seeking to make the perfect start to the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. They have missed the final in each of the first three cycles, and with Ben Stokes stating that “it’s about winning” in the leadup to the Headingley Test, we can expect a focused England.
Ben Stokes is looking forward to the Test series with India kicking off tomorrow 👀🏴 pic.twitter.com/0pC9IJJBuC
“We’re very quick in this country, particularly with our cricket team, to move on players,” Paine said on SEN. “We always want to see if the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”
Quality players are extremely hard to replace – Tim Paine
Paine went on to point out that Australia have struggled to replace David Warner, and risk the same fate if they drop one or both of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne.
“If we’ve learnt nothing out of the last 18 months to two years… it’s that players of that quality are extremely hard to replace,” Paine said.
“David Warner, if you look back to just before he retired… the six months leading into that… the guy is one of our best ever cricketers, and everyone in the media and the casual cricket watchers are like ‘he’s gotta go, he’s gotta go’.
“We’re two years down the track and we still haven’t cemented his replacement. That’s how hard these guys are to find and replace. So you don’t just have a bad Test in England (WTC Final) and then dump players of Khawaja and Marnus’ quality.”
Khawaja and Labuschagne found the going difficult in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, often dismissed in similar fashion behind the wicket. Khawaja’s 1,428 runs at 39.66 looks good on paper, but his average drops to 25.35 against pace since the start of 2024. Labuschagne managed 974 runs at just 27.82 overall.
It was a similar story for David Warner at the backend of his Test career. Warner managed 1,542 runs in his last 50 innings at an average of 31.5, well down on his career average of 44.59.
However, Paine has backed Khawaja and Labuschagne to come good over the next 12 months, headlined by a huge Ashes series.
“They [Khawaja and Labuschagne] are a huge part of that team for the next year at least being successful with what’s around the corner and the quality of cricket, particularly with England coming out for the Ashes,” Paine said.
“Those high-quality international players do not grow on trees. We’ve learnt that post-Warner retirement, we’ve learnt that post-Warne retirement. Great players are hard to replace, and I am backing both of those two to have a big 12 months.”
Interestingly, Paine landed a significant coaching role with Cricket Australia, according to a CODE Sports report on June 19.
Australia’s next assignment is a three-match series in West Indies starting on Wednesday June 25 in Barbados.
England squad for 1st India Test: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes
ENG vs IND 1st Test 2025 Preview: Recent form of England and India in Test cricket.
ENG vs IND 1st Test 2025 Preview:
Match Details
When: 20 June 2025 – 24 June 2025. Where: Headingley, Leeds.
Headingley, Leeds Venue Analysis and Pitch Report
Venue Analysis:
In the two Tests played in the two years before COVID, 69 wickets fell at an average of just 22.10. In contrast, the three Tests played since the pandemic have seen 100 wickets fall, but at a significantly higher average of 30.77 — a jump of 8.67 runs per wicket. The scoring rate has also climbed from 3.16 to 3.63 runs per over. The last time India played at Headingley, back in 2021, they were bundled out for just 78 runs in 40.4 overs in the first innings. Full scorecard: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-england-2021-2022-1239527/england-vs-india-3rd-test-1239545/full-scorecard
Headingley has traditionally favoured slightly fuller lengths, making it a “pitch it up” venue. In recent years, the surface has also tended to be a little on the drier side.
England have a 100% record at this venue since 2021, winning all three Tests — and interestingly, all after fielding first.
In fact, since 2010, teams chasing have won seven Tests at Headingley, while those batting first have won only four, making it more of a “win the toss, bowl first” venue. Even the innings-wise numbers back this up — batting becomes progressively easier as the match goes on.
ENG vs IND 1st Test 2025 Preview: Batting gets easier at Headingley as matches go on.
Add to it that there has hardly been any rain in Leeds since February.
“They (England) just want to have a good surface so it’s true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball,” said Richard Robinson, Yorkshire’s head of grounds. “That’s really what they’re looking for.” As per ESPNcricinfo, Richard expects it to “do a little bit” on the first day and to flatten out quite quickly because of the heat expected.
The forecast for the Test is for it to get hotter, closer to 30 degrees, but it is not likely to break up the surface, which can make it rewarding for the side bowling first.
India’s Predicted XI for 1st Test against England
Rishabh Pant confirmed in the press conference that Shubman Gill will drop down to number four, with Pant himself set to bat at five. There’s still some deliberation around who takes the number three spot.
Rishabh Pant confirms he'll bat at No. 5 for India at Headingley, with new captain Shubman Gill at No. 4. Says discussions still ongoing re No. 3.
At the moment, Karun Nair appears to be the frontrunner. After scoring a double century against the England Lions, he batted at number three for India in the tour game against India A, and has also been fielding at first slip during practice. There’s also a slim chance that Sudharsan could slot in at three, with Nair shifting to the middle order. Or perhaps Sudharsan – who initially was the frontrunner to bat at three – could be considered for the number six spot, which still remains up for grabs, though highly unlikely.
The other strong middle-order contender is Dhruv Jurel, who scored 227 runs in four innings for India A, including three consecutive half-centuries. He also impressed during the tour of Australia.
However, although Reddy looked rusty in both India A games, given India’s preference for depth in both departments under Gautam Gambhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy — who scored nearly 300 runs, including a century, on his debut tour in Australia — could get the nod and slot in at six. As per Revsportz, he also bowled a significant number of overs in India’s first official practice session at Beckenham, signalling his rise as a serious candidate for a spot in the first XI.
“The more bowling options we can have, that’s great. He’s skillful. He’s a guy that can bowl that magical ball, so for him it’s about creating that consistency, it’s something we want to work on, it’s important for his game as well,” India bowling coach Morne Morkel said of Reddy. “I’ve had conversations where I’ve challenged him to bowl a bit more.
“I want to see the ball more in his hands, we all know what he can do with the bat. For a team, if we can have the bowling options especially in these conditions, I think he’ll be exciting and can complement this bowling attack.”
With Bumrah, Siraj, and Prasidh expected to start as the three seamers, only the number eight spot remains up for grabs. Once again, given India’s preference for depth, Shardul Thakur may get the nod as the seam-bowling all-rounder
Yashasvi Jaiswal
KL Rahul
Karun Nair
Shubman Gill (c)
Rishabh Pant (wk)
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Ravindra Jadeja
Shardul Thakur
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Prasidh Krishna
However, I personally would prefer Kuldeep Yadav over Shardul Thakur. While Thakur certainly offers more with the bat, winning Test matches ultimately comes down to taking 20 wickets — and Kuldeep gives you that cutting edge. That’s not to say Thakur is ineffective with the ball; in fact, he had a very solid Ranji Trophy season (with both bat and ball). But in the recent A games against the England Lions, he looked off-colour, managing just two wickets in 43 overs and struggling to maintain the same intensity across spells.
Also, as mentioned earlier, the surface at Headingley has tended to be on the drier side of late — another factor that supports Kuldeep’s inclusion. In fact, Jarrod Kimber also pointed out in this podcast that this has been one of the driest summers in the UK, making it difficult for groundskeepers to retain moisture in the pitches.
Kuldeep has also shown he can stick around with the bat. Since 2022, he has averaged 57 balls per dismissal (and 20.71 runs) across nine Test innings. However, it’s worth noting that all those innings came in Asia.
If at all India want a proper all-rounder at No. 8, keeping the conditions in mind, they also have the option of turning to Washington Sundar.
England’s XI (announced)
Ben Duckett
Zak Crawley
Ollie Pope
Joe Root
Harry Brook
Ben Stokes (c)
Jamie Smith (wk)
Chris Woakes
Brydon Carse
Shoaib Bashir
Josh Tongue
All key player notes for England have already been covered in this piece.
Key Matchups
Shubman Gill vs. Chris Woakes
Although Gill has never faced Woakes in Test cricket, this could be a fascinating battle. Woakes has revitalised his career by mastering the wobble seam delivery, becoming more effective even away from home. Gill, on the other hand, has long struggled against deliveries that come back into him, and Woakes’ nip-backer could pose a serious challenge.
However, Gill might benefit from his new role at four. Ahead of him in the order are the resolute KL Rahul — who, even if not scoring big, tends to soak up plenty of deliveries with his disciplined leaves and solid defence — and an in-form Karun Nair. If they blunt the new ball, Gill could walk in once conditions are a touch easier, giving him a better platform to counter Woakes and the rest of the English attack.
Yashasvi Jaiswal vs. Chris Woakes
At times, Jaiswal tends to play across his front pad. Woakes might look to set him up with a series of deliveries shaping away, before slipping in a fuller one that nips back in and hits him on the pad. It’s a ploy he executed effectively in the England Lions vs India A match, trapping Yashasvi lbw.
Joe Root vs. Jasprit Bumrah
Unarguably the marquee battle of the series — and one that could well define it. Two modern-day greats, both in sublime form, going head-to-head. Bumrah vs. Root promises to be nothing short of epic.
So far, Root has scored 286 runs off Bumrah in Tests at an average of 31.8, but Bumrah has dismissed him nine times — the third-most by any bowler in Root’s Test career.
BazBall vs. non-Bumrah Indian pacers
We’ve seen in the past that bowlers like Siraj and Shardul can lose their radar when put under pressure — something England will almost certainly look to exploit. The likely plan? Play out Bumrah, while going after the rest.
Prasidh Krishna did show improved line control in the IPL, but whether that carries over to the red-ball format — where consistency across long spells is key — remains to be seen. A key factor will be how the seamers, especially Siraj (who, unlike in the Australia tour last year, isn’t overworked coming into this series), hold up. Their response could very well decide how India fare with the ball.
BazBall vs. Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep has been in excellent rhythm lately. Ever since tweaking his action, he’s been getting more overspin on the ball, which could draw English batters into false shots, especially while sweeping. The drier surfaces this time around could well work in his favour if he gets the opportunity to play.
Harry Brook vs. Ravindra Jadeja
Brook has had his fair share of struggles against left-arm spin across formats, making his battle with Ravindra Jadeja fascinating — not just in this Test, but across the entire series.
A number of Pakistan players will feature in the 2025/26 season of the Big Bash League (BBL). The BBL draft, which took place on June 19, saw a number of teams prioritise Pakistani players due to their availability and significant experience in T20s.
Here is a list of the Pakistan cricketers plus the teams they will play for in the upcoming season.
Which Pakistan players will feature in the BBL 2025/26 season?
Player
Team
Babar Azam
Sydney Sixers
Mohammad Rizwan
Melbourne Renegades
Hassan Khan
Melbourne Renegades
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Brisbane Heat
Haris Rauf
Melbourne Stars
Hassan Ali
Adelaide Strikers
Shadab Khan
Sydney Thunder
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will play for Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades respectively. Both will be important cogs for their teams, with Rizwan in particular tasked with taking the Renegades from underachievement to title contention.
The Renegades also picked up Hassan Khan. The left-arm spinner has an economy rate of just 7.80 in 79 T20s, along with a batting strike rate of 138.93.
The other notable pick is Shaheen Shah Afridi to the Brisbane Heat. The tall left-arm seamer should enjoy conditions at the Gabba, where bounce and new-ball swing is a common sight.
Shadab Khan to the Sydney Thunder can prove to be a very shrewd pick. The Thunder play a number of their home games on the slow, spin-friendly ENGIE Stadium in Western Sydney, which makes Shadab an important asset. Also, the all-rounder can bat in the top five.
In other news, Haris Rauf was retained by Melbourne Stars. Rauf has enjoyed memorable moments with the Stars, and the men in green will be hoping for a big season from the fast bowler.
Hassan Ali (Adelaide Strikers) will also have an important role to play. The seamer will be called on for his defensive skills at the batting-friendly Adelaide Oval as the Strikers aim to make their way up the table after finishing bottom last season.
Jamie Overton has made a surprise return to England’s Test squad for the series opener against India, stepping in after his Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Overton, whose sole Test appearance came at Headingley against New Zealand in 2022 — coincidentally the venue for the upcoming first Test on June 20 — made a game-changing 97 and claimed a wicket in each innings during that match. Despite playing only three County Championship games since the start of last season due to injuries and IPL commitments, he has leapfrogged Matthew Potts in the pecking order as a backup seam option.
“We’ve spoken many times about our varied attack, and making sure that we’ve still got some pace in the attack,” Luke Wright, England’s selector, said. “Jamie showed in white-ball cricket that he’s got a huge amount of pace and bounce, and he’s a real threat.
Initially, England had hoped Atkinson would recover in time for the first Test, but he has now officially been ruled out, depleting their seam-bowling resources.
England squad for 1st India Test: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes
England squad analysis for 1st Test vs India: Hosts dealing with injuries on the bowling front
Since 2022, no seamer has taken more Test wickets for England than Atkinson.
Mark Wood and Olly Stone are both out of the series with knee injuries, while Jofra Archer will not be match-fit until the second Test at the earliest after a thumb issue.
Sam Cook, who made his debut in the Zimbabwe Test, retains his place in the squad but is likely to start the India series as a reserve. Chris Woakes returns to contention after recovering from an ankle injury. Also included is Josh Tongue, who missed the entire 2024 season due to injury but featured in the England Lions’ match against India A at Northampton — alongside Woakes — as part of preparations for the first Test.
Potts is arguably the unluckiest absentee, having been named in squads for all formats this summer, including the Zimbabwe Test in which Cook was selected ahead of him.
“It’s really tough on Pottsy,” Wright said. “It was probably between him and Cookie for that other spare bowler, if we were to lose Woakesy, and we just felt that maybe Cookie has got the edge with that new ball. But we know what Potts is all about. It’s not easy for him, but it’s great to have him as a squad bowler in the pack, if any injuries happen. But on this occasion, he’s just missed out.”
Meanwhile, Jacob Bethell returns after missing the Zimbabwe Test due to IPL commitments, posing a selection dilemma for England. He impressed in his debut series in New Zealand, where he scored three fifties batting at No. 3, which had cast doubts over the places of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. However, both Crawley and Pope responded with centuries against Zimbabwe and may retain their spots for now.
“He’s very close,” Wright said of Bethell’s potential return to the starting XI. “It’s a great option to have, isn’t it? It’s lovely to have him back, what a talent we all see in him. When Baz and Stokesy took on these roles, we were really struggling as a batting group to get runs on the board, and we’re getting to a point now where we’re getting real depth into that squad, which is fantastic.”
England predicted XI for 1st Test against India
1. Ben Duckett, 2. Zak Crawley, 3. Ollie Pope, 4. Joe Root, 5. Harry Brook, 6. Ben Stokes (c), 7. Jamie Smith (wk), 8. Chris Woakes, 9. Brydon Carse, 10. Shoaib Bashir, 11. Josh Tongue
The England team analysed: Player Notes and Key Stats
Ben Duckett: Since his Test comeback in 2022, he’s scored 2,300 runs at an average of 45.09, with 5 centuries and 12 fifties — the sixth-highest run-scorer in Tests in this period. What truly stands out, though, is the pace at which he scores: among batters with a minimum of 25 Test innings since 2022, no one has a higher strike rate than Ben Duckett (joint-top with Harry Brook at 88.90). He’s coming off a fluent 140 off 134 balls against Zimbabwe in Nottingham.
Zak Crawley: In 2021, he averaged just 10.81 across 16 Test innings — he was thinking too much of his defence, with Silverwood as the coach. Since McCullum took over in May 2022, both his average and strike rate have seen a lift – he’s averaged 38.70 in England at a strike rate of 77.29. He also had a successful tour of India, scoring 407 runs in 5 Tests at an average of 40.70 (SR: 68.51). He too is coming off a century against Zimbabwe.
Ollie Pope: Whenever his career seems to be on a downhill path, he finds a way to respond with an innings of substance — like he did thrice last year, notching up 3 centuries (in 30 innings) despite averaging just 33.13in 2024, lower than his career average of 35.49. Bethell may be the better player, but England continue picking Pope — and they likely will for the 1st Test too, especially after that 171 off 166 against Zimbabwe.
Joe Root: No player has scored more Test runs since the start of 2020 than Joe Root — 5647 at an average of 54.29, with 19 centuries and 20 fifties. The next best? Marnus Labuschagne, a staggering 2436 runs behind.
Harry Brook: Since his debut in 2022, Harry Brook has averaged over 50 in every calendar year in Test cricket. However, 7 of his 8 Test centuries have come away from home. He’ll be keen to improve on his modest average of 39 in England. Technique-wise, Brook has a backfoot trigger, and while his front foot often doesn’t get to the pitch of the ball, his fast hands, strong wrists, and sharp reflexes usually compensate brilliantly.
Ben Stokes: For all the hype the English media builds around Stokes, here’s what his Test (batting) record has actually looked like over the past few years:
Jamie Smith: Technically the best English batter after Joe Root, he’s already crafted some fine innings across varied conditions — dealing with nip off the seam, swing through the air, some bounce, and even turn. He’s averaging 42.73 (SR: 72.42) in his brief Test career so far. He has the potential to bat higher up the order. Jamie Smith said, “Opening against WI was ‘great practice’ for India Tests.”
Chris Woakes: While Woakes averages 48.93away from home, he boasts a stellar average of 21.59in England. He’s been especially lethal of late; Since 2020, he’s averaged just 19.65 in home Tests. In particular, he’s using the wobble-seam delivery more. He has somewhat turned into a wobble-seam specialist.
Brydon Carse: He was the highest wicket taker on the New Zealand tour, picking up 18 wickets in just 3 Tests — including a 10-wicket haul. In his debut series in Pakistan, he led the attack again with 9 wickets at 24.33. Yet to feature in a Test at home, he’s already emerged as one of their more dependable seamers — a hit-the-deck bowler seam (not swing) bowler, who can be their workhorse.
Shoaib Bashir: Interestingly, Bashir’s numbers are better at home than overseas. In England, he’s taken 24 wickets at an average of 28.50, while away from home, his 34 wickets have come at 41.97. His overall numbers might not be the most impressive yet, but he’s still young and relatively raw, with limited FC experience. While he has bowled a fair share of loose deliveries in his Test career so far, his bowling against Zimbabwe showed better control, which is an encouraging sign for England.
Josh Tongue: One of the most talented fast bowlers in England. He gets movement off the pitch, alongside bounce.
Former South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald has praised Temba Bavuma’s team for their spirited performance in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia at Lord’s. In an exclusive chat with CricBlog, Donald spoke of the Proteas’ never-say-die attitude, and lauded the team from how they fought back from a very difficult position in the first innings.
Donald, who was the centre of South African sporting heartbreak 26 years ago, says this victory slams the door shut on those years of near misses.
This WTC win can lead to more success for South Africa – Allan Donald
Check out the audio and transcript of our interview with Allan Donald following South Africa’s triumph in the WTC Final.
On the significance of the win…
“It’s a massive, massive day in South African cricket, it’s a massive day in South African sport. It’s something that unites this country so closely. To get that over the line shuts the door that’s over 30-odd years old.
Or maybe I’ve jumped the years a little bit, but it’s something that’s taken a lot of pain away as you know. Not really going to go into that detail (laughs), but you know what I’m talking about with us and ICC events.
This team, this group have shown, in the Test Championship, in the cycle, that they’ve had to win eight Test matches in a row… just showed immense character, immense character.”
On Kagiso Rabada’s brilliance…
“Second time round, with the ball, when they had to come out and they’re under the pump 70-odd runs ahead (Australia) and to have this bowling attack fired up by KG Rabada once again… I just knew that KG Rabada was up for it, you just knew he was going to put in a very good performance.
I didn’t expect nine wickets but I think everything that’s been said about him in the press has been well documented and the way he came out first innings five-for and almost a ten-for at Lord’s was inspirational… very inspirational.
He stood up and bounced back hard. He didn’t need much fire in the belly to do that. I just knew he was going to come out firing.”
Kagiso Rabada was outstanding in the WTC Final – Allan Donald
How this win can lead to more success for South Africa…
“But this team has shown… they’ve broken this deadlock now. I think this will… and hopefully open the door for more success. I already look forward to the 2027 (ODI) World Cup, I think it’s going to be a really interesting one. This group will be together. The white-ball group. A lot of those players who played today will be involved in that World Cup.”
Past pain and how South Africa showed up when it really mattered…
“I think today… for the team it will take some time to sink in. It really is a day for the past players who were involved in the ’99 World Cup and the guys who followed them, will know how close it was to be in the final, but I think we can safely say now that gate is now shut.
Well done to this group. They deserve it. They worked so hard. And to have done what they have done… you can say a lot of other teams will say they haven’t played against the very best and all this other stuff. I don’t care. They got into the final and when it needed them to produce, they did. That’s all that matters. They did. And they needed to front up with their backs against the wall. They showed again what ‘refuse to lose’ means to these guys. They are going to come and they’re going to come hard, come again, bounce back strong, which they did.
We’re all very, very proud of that. They got a few days to get their breath back and then they’ve got another series coming up very shortly against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe, so I’m pretty sure that they’re going to celebrate hard tonight (Saturday) that’s for sure.”
South Africa have produced one of the finest moments in their cricketing history, beating Australia by five wickets to win the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s.
Driven by a magnificent partnership by Aiden Markram (136) and Temba Bavuma (66) on day three, the Proteas sealed victory on the stroke of lunch on day four, sparking huge celebrations at the home of cricket.
It was a thoroughly deserved victory. The Proteas fought back from difficult positions right throughout the Test, including from 74 runs behind after they were bundled out for just 138 in their first innings. Australia, who started as hot favourites, were even shorter odds at that point, but South Africa’s outstanding attack exposed their batting issues once again to give themselves a shot at glory.
Markram owned the contest. From the moment he nailed the first of many glorious backfoot punches in the run chase of 282, Australia knew they had a fight on their hands. From then until his 207th delivery, he did not offer Pat Cummins’ side a sniff as he produced an innings of a lifetime to deliver South Africa a trophy after years of heartbreak.
Markram was aptly supported by Temba Bavuma. His innings showcased what he is all about as leader of this team. After suffering a hamstring strain early in his innings, he dug deep for 134 balls, combining for the match-defining 147-run stand to leave Australia hoping for a miracle.
Reactions to South Africa winning the WTC title: Temba Bavuma with the mace.
That miracle did not come. Australia’s batting frailties, on show throughout this WTC cycle, came to the fore once again and ultimately cost them their second-straight title. Cummins’ team had the opportunity to bat the Proteas out of the contest in the third innings, but they crumbled to 7/73. Alex Carey and the bowlers bailed them out, but the latter weren’t able to do it with the ball.
Reactions: Emotions galore as South Africa win the 2025 WTC Final – Markram, Bavuma and bowlers deliver the goods
Special mention to Kagiso Rabada (nine wickets for the match), Marco Jansen (four wickets for the match), and Lungi Ngidi (3/38 in the second innings) for their magnificent performances with the ball. They challenged the Australians right throughout the match, and the 2023 champions struggled for answers.
The Proteas fans are basking in the glory, and rightly so. Since winning the ICC Knockout Trophy in 1998, South Africa have endured so many near misses, including a T20 World Cup Final that was in their grasp a year ago.
Here are some of the reactions from Proteas legends and fans, as well as rival fans, to South Africa winning the 2025 WTC Final.
Well done @ProteasMenCSA .. everything went right from the toss already .. enjoy the celebrations 🥂🥂🥂 👏
This is for Graeme Smith. This is for Shaun Pollock. This is for Graeme Pollock. This is for Lance Klusener. This is for Dale Steyn. This is for Shabnim Ismail. This is for Allan Donald. This is for AB de Villiers. This is for Laura Wolvaardt. This is for Hashim Amla. This…
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) June 14, 2025
Been at a lot of cricket in my life. Travelled the world. But this feels as special as any of them.
The team of inherited heartbreak has finally won their first world title. Against Australia, at Lord's.
They lived in the shade for the longest time, no one deserves the sun…
Finally, you can say Hope is no longer a dangerous thing for South African cricket. Hope is the best of things, the most beautiful of things. South Africa, world champions, has a good ring to it #WTCFinal
Started this profession way back in 2001. Had a lots of ups and downs in those long career. This is the best day of my life. Losing the 2015 WC semi finals 10 years ago is something i have never recovered from till now. This win will help overcome many heart breaks in the past.…
Quota player. Overrated. Choker. His name his Temba. South Africa's first ICC tournament winning captain in 27 years. A black man. Guiding his country which was banned from the sport due to apartheid. Remember the fcking name. pic.twitter.com/0SqkL0ZIhz
Ian Smith did the right thing by letting Shaun Pollock speak. Pollock didn't write a prose; he didn't have to.
He spoke the years of his personal hurt against Australia through the 1990s & early 2000s. He knows what it means to beat Australia at the highest level.#WTCFinal
— Cricket Picture that Goes Hard (@HardCricketpix) June 14, 2025
South Africa, who have now won eight-straight Tests, will celebrate this fine win for days to come. Their next assignment will be two Tests in Zimbabwe starting later this month.
Australia are also on the road, with three Tests against West Indies starting June 25. This will kickstart the next WTC cycle.
India was rocked on Thursday with a tragic plane crash that killed 242 onboard and multiple others on the ground. Air India Flight 171, travelling from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into a Medical College building shortly after takeoff, sparking widespread reactions and grief.
The harrowing footage spread quickly on social media. Thick, black smoke filled the sky after the crash, which showed the plane struggling.
“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest on http://airindia.com and on our X handle,” the airline posted.
Among the 242 passengers, 169 were Indian nationals. 53 British nationals were also on board, along with seven Portugese and one Canadian national.
WATCH: Air India plane carrying 242 people crashes in Ahmedabad while taking off for flight to London pic.twitter.com/KyLVZaV6i7
Cricketers react to shocking Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are among the cricketers to react to the shocking incident.
“Shocked to hear about the plane crash at Ahmedabad today. Praying for all those affected and thoughts with their families,” Kohli wrote on his Instagram story. “Really sad and disturbing news from Ahmedabad. Prayers for all the lives lost and their families,” wrote Rohit on his Instagram story.
Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma were among the cricketers to also share their condolences.
Former cricketers also shared their thoughts. “Deeply saddened by the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad today. Prayers for the passengers, crew, and their families,” wrote former India bowler Irfan Pathan on X, formerly Twitter.
“I am utterly shocked and deeply anguished to learn about the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families who are enduring unimaginable pain and loss. In moments like these, words feel so inadequate, but I hope that those affected find strength, courage, and support. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by this tragedy,” wrote former India offspinner Harbhajan Singh on X.
Deeply saddened by the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad today. Prayers for the passengers, crew, and their families.
Heartbreaking news about the #AirIndia plane crash in Ahmedabad. Thoughts and prayers with the passengers, crew, and families affected . May they find strength in this difficult time 🙏
I am utterly shocked and deeply anguished to learn about the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families who are enduring unimaginable pain and loss. In moments like these, words feel so inadequate, but I hope…
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 12, 2025
Shikhar Dhawan also took to Instagram to share his message of support. “Deeply saddened to hear about the plane crash in Gujarat. May the families find strength in this unimaginable time.”
Despite their limited resources and population, New Zealand have regularly punched above their weight and impressed the cricketing fraternity. Gary Stead, who stood down as head coach in early June, deserves huge credit for the fabulous performances of the Black Caps over the years.
Not only did New Zealand win an ICC trophy after 21 years during his tenure, but they made it to the knockout stages in five out of the last six ICC white-ball tournaments. After being named the head coach in 2018 replacing Mike Hesson, Stead went on to script a historic legacy and forged a memorable alliance with Kane Williamson. During his time as head coach, the Kiwis won 268 games across all formats.
While speaking to Arvind Kalyana Krishnan in an exclusive interview for CricBlog, Stead drew light on his seven-year stint in the role including some of his best memories with the team.
While winning the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 was one of the greatest accomplishments during his tenure, the 53-year-old also mentioned that whitewashing India 3-0 in the Test series in 2024 will go down as one of his most cherished moments. He gave a detailed explanation behind the Tom Latham-led side’s preparation for this three-match Test series, and how they defied all odds to script a historic series win. Further on, he also spoke about Matt Henry’s injury just before the Champions Trophy 2025 Final against India, and how badly the pacer wanted to play that game.
Stead also drew light on the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final, the controversial “Boundary Count”, and the reactions of the players after the match. Also, Stead gave his opinion on players choosing to prioritise T20 leagues over international cricket, with Kane Williamson and Trent Boult declining contracts, among others. Cricketers choosing to play T20 leagues instead of representing their country has taken the world by storm after the recent retirements of Heinrich Klaasen and Nicholas Pooran as well.
Gary Stead Exclusive Interview: Proud of seeing the team grow during my time as coach
Below is the entire conversation between Arvind Kalyana Krishnan and Gary Stead, both in video and text format.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: You had a successful tenure with the Black Caps. There have been several appearances in the finals of ICC tournaments and you’ve won an ICC trophy too. So if you were to summarize your tenure, what would rank amongst the best memories for you? Some of the greatest achievements for New Zealand under you?
Gary Stead: Look, I think any time you’re involved with international cricket it’s a great privilege and I guess one of the things I’m most proud of is just seeing the team members grow in their time as well and look, we’ve had some amazing achievements in the past few years.
Obviously, the World Test Championship and winning the inaugural World Test Championship was something very special to the team, and making World Cup finals and ICC event finals as well. Yes, we didn’t quite get over the line in those but still to get there against some quality teams around the world has been fantastic…..
But probably the greatest achievement I think with this group was winning 3-0 in India. I think that’s probably the hardest thing to do when you consider things around the world and things you’re going to try and achieve, and for us to win all the three Tests will be something that’s probably right up there with the best achievements with this team in history.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Now moving to my next question, you mentioned that you couldn’t get over the line in a few encounters. I know this might not be amongst the greatest memories for you but I want to speak about this. During the 2019 Cricket World Cup, we all saw what happened. New Zealand came very very close and some people might even say that you deserved to win which even I agree, you deserved to win. But it was on a “Boundary Count” from which England won.
So my question to you is that after the match happened, we saw Kane Williamson smile and the players….Like the players you know, didn’t show any kind of frustration or any sort of anger. So after the match got over, behind the scenes and in the dressing room, how was the environment? Was Williamson still calm? Or was everyone still frustrated and furious over what happened? Can you just speak about that?
Gary Stead: I think no doubt there was frustrations in the group and in the team. I guess as a whole you look at it and it was an amazing game of cricket; I mean the same number of runs scored by both teams over the game. I think it showed the evenness of the competition, and in some ways it’s sad that there has to be a winner and loser in that situation but we were lucky in a way that we had to move on very quickly.
We had a series soon after in Sri Lanka that we had to get to, so that’s the thing with international cricket. The world keeps rolling on very very quickly so whilst it was very very disappointing, I think it was a good thing that we were playing cricket again pretty soon and we could move on and look, time heals over that period and whilst still can be raw to talk about because I thought we played very well that day. You have to get on with it and accept that they were the rules on that day.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: True. Since I spoke about a memory that still hurts, but now let me speak about something which is probably in the history of Black Caps. The whitewash over India in India last year. So my question to you is that you did the unthinkable, beat a strong Indian team in India. So if you can just draw light on the kind of preparation you had and during the match, when you had already won the series 2-0 going into the third Test, was there any pressure from India? Did the players resort to any kind of sledging or banters or anything? If you can just speak about the entire series.
Gary Stead: Yeah, I think in a way when you look back at that series. Losing the toss in the first game was pretty crucial as well. We would’ve batted first but the ball did a lot more than what we were expecting early on and I guess to get that jump on India in that first Test was fantastic.
I think the preparation before that, we had gone to Sri Lanka and we had lost 2-0 in Sri Lanka but we’d had 2-3 bad sessions which we identified and if we’d got them right then the series could’ve been very different as well. So we had a game plan around our batting in particular and to try and put pressure on their spinners and to immediately to not let them settle to any kind of rhythm.
So we were prepared to take probably more risks then what we might have in the past to try and put the Indian spinners in particular under pressure and we felt we’d be able to hold our own. I think from a bowling perspective and as long as we were in good areas for long periods of time…..We knew the pitches were going to be difficult to bat on so it was really about applying pressure for long periods and in the second and third Test we were lucky that we did win the toss and we got the better of the surfaces.
But it was an enthralling series because I think that all the Tests could’ve gone either way at different points and I guess we won some crucial moments and it was an amazing feeling and something that you know no one else in the world has managed to do, which is really special.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Now my next question to you is that it all started a few years when Trent Boult declined a contract from New Zealand and it was last year after the T20 World Cup where even Kane Williamson didn’t want to take the contract, but at the same time he had stated that he will still prioritise international cricket. So what was your take on Williamson’s decision to not take a contract? And we’ve seen of late a few players who have decided to make a balance between playing T20 leagues and playing international cricket at the same time. What are your thoughts and opinions on that?
Gary Stead: Look, I think that when players get to the back end of their careers, then they’re looking at different options sometimes. I think it’s through a financial point of view and sometimes it’s through a motivational point of view but I think with all the players, I think the one thing that has stood recently firm is they still want to play for New Zealand, and still are prioritizing New Zealand on most accounts, but it’s just the odd league that doesn’t fit into the New Zealand calendar and so they’re hoping they can keep growing their cricketing experience through that as well. So my opinion is I understand that completely from a players point of view and I don’t hold any grudges against them or wanting to do that. So, yeah it’s just the reality of the modern world and where the game is going.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Now my next question to you is that of late we had the Champions Trophy 2025 where New Zealand were absolutely fabulous in it. You came to the finals and lost a very close match to India. But in that match, I remember Matt Henry was about to play but he got injured in the last match (Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-Final) so if you can just speak to me about what was going through and did you speak to him because he seemed very passionate and was wanting to play that game. So if you can just speak about that.
Gary Stead: Yeah there’s no doubt that Matt Henry wanted to play that game and we wanted him to play as well but unfortunately, the morning of that match he woke up and he could hardly move. He did something to his back and whilst he landed on his shoulder in the earlier game vs South Africa, everyone thought it was a shoulder but he would’ve got through on that, but we had to make the very hard decision just before the toss that he wasn’t going to be able to play and that I know was devastating for Matt. Look it was very very tough on our team as well because he’d been so good throughout that tournament so sometimes injuries happen you can’t always control them. So it was very very bad luck for him.
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: True, and I have one last question for you. As a coach of the Black Caps throughout your career, was there any one specific player from the opposition team or from the team you’ve played against from which you know you were genuinely…..I won’t say afraid but genuinely thought of building specific plans for that one player who was so good? For example someone like a Starc or a Virat or someone who was so good that you were thinking “ok we need to tackle this one player. He’s our main priority. Any such player in your career?
Gary Stead: Not really. I think all teams have such classy players all around the world. Now if you just single out one, you forget about the others. So there wasn’t an overemphasis put on anyone and look, I think the players you are mentioning are all world-class obviously. I think one of the strengths of our team was to just get on and fight as a team and whoever we come up against, you make sure they’re in a fight as well, and look, at the end of the day you have a winner and a loser every day a cricket match is played.
I think it’s one of the great things about our sport is that you go there and battle hard for that period of time and you’ve got world-class players playing against each other and when you do get surprised wins and what media might consider surprises then it does show what you’re doing is on the right track and that’s something I think that as a New Zealand team and Black Caps unit we can be really proud of that we’ve managed to I guess tip-up all opposition international teams at some stage.
The Lord’s pitch looks dry for the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final. That is according to Steve Smith, who believes spin will play a key role as the Test goes on.
Conditions have been dry in London in recent weeks, contributing to the conditions. Such a situation surely puts any idea of full pace attacks to bed.
“I think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on,” Smith said, as quoted by the ICC.
Lord’s pitch could make for a tricky decision at the toss at the 2025 WTC Final
The greenish tinge on the Lord’s surface, plus some overcast conditions for the first two days, may prompt the captain who wins the toss to bowl first. However, warm and dry conditions at the backend of the Test could make batting last quite tricky.
Nathan Lyon and Keshav Maharaj are both terrific spinners who can make use of any assistance in the Lord’s surface. Lyon has taken the fourth-most wickets in the 2023-25 WTC cycle with 66 at an average of 24.00. Maharaj has also been outstanding, taking 40 wickets at 20.57, including 14 wickets at 25.6 at home.
“It is dry, I think. The reports, we only came here a week ago. So, it’s pretty dry to start the season over here. There hasn’t been much rain, which is rare for England, obviously,” Smith said.
“It does look like quite a dry surface and I think the footmarks will definitely come into play as the game wears on.”
That being said, what happens on the first two days can go a long way to deciding the result. Both teams have potent pace attacks, so batting well early in the Test can set up the match for either side.
It is something Steve Smith and Travis Head achieved in the 2023 WTC Final against India, where they put on a mammoth 285-run stand for the fourth wicket. Smith hit 121 in the first innings of that match; something he is aiming to replicate at Lord’s – a ground he averages 58.33 at.
“I’ve had a bit of success here,” Smith said. “It takes a bit of time getting used to the slope, one end thinking you are falling over, the other you feel a bit tall.
“It’s a nice wicket to bat on but if there’s a bit of cloud about and the balls swing around, it can get tricky.”
Australia are aiming to become the first team to win two WTC titles. South Africa are seeking to end their long wait for an ICC title since winning the 1998 Champions Trophy.
