3 things England need to do right to beat India in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test ft. Ollie Pope 

The majority of the spotlight has been cast on Team India ahead of the Test series against England, given the recent retirements and the transition. However, England deserves to be in the conversation just as much, considering how important the series is for them.

Failing to make the World Test Championship (WTC) across three cycles, and having to see other sides lifting the title on their soil, is all the incentive England need to put their best foot forward.

However, England do not head into the series opener on an ideal note. Injuries to three members of their pace battery have forced them into a contingency plan right away. But, the right blend of experience and energy, should keep the hosts in the hunt against an inexperienced batting unit.

On that note, let us take a look at three things England need to do right to beat India in ENG vs IND 2025.

#1 Force India to rely on their primary bowlers by taking on their all-rounders

It is evident that Team India's biggest strength heading into the Test series is their fast bowling. With a proven pairing in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, and a bankable depth on the sidelines, there are no question marks over that front.

However, England have the opportunity to turn India's strength into their weakness by forcing them to be over-dependent on their primary bowlers in Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. Given the heat wave warning in place in Leeds, although nowhere close to subcontinent temperatures, India have to be careful regarding the bowling load.

Under such conditions, pacers will need time to recover before coming on for their next spell, which is where the likes of Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja stepped in. India had got through the Border-Gavaskar series with largely four options, a decision which proved to be costly in the end.

India are left with two approaches: either bring the likes of Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja more into play, or overbowl their frontline bowlers. Either way, England have the opportunity and resources to exploit. They have the batting ability to take on spin and the part-time pace of Shardul Thakur to put India on the back foot.

India will have to wait for the storm to pass, or bring on their frontline bowlers earlier than expected, without a full recovery. England will find the tired pacers much easier to handle compared to full strength, and this potential fatigue could also play a massive role towards the latter stages of the series.

#2 Ollie Pope cannot be a sitting duck at No.3, needs to be proactive

Ollie Pope's woes in the early stages of the innings are well-documented. His tentativeness has been his downfall on so many occasions, something which England cannot afford with a crucial position like the No.3. With an able competitor like Jacob Bethell waiting on the wings, the series against India is make-or-break.

Coming in at No.3, Pope has had to absorb pressure or maintain a close tempo as the explosive openers. However, he has been caught in the middle at times and failed to accomplish either, especially in big matches.

The right-handed batter has looked at his best when actively looking for runs, rather than trying to anchor. His temporary switch to No.6 in New Zealand came at the right time as he looked in decent flow.

There may be times when Pope has to play the role of holding down his end, but he only needs to do it when the conditions and situation calls for it, and not as a default mode.

He scored a brisk fifty in the second innings against New Zealand in his sole outing at Leeds in 2022. An innings of a similar template would do England a world of good, as his performance potentially dictates the entry point of the stroke-making middle-order. If they get to bat against an older ball and a tired Indian bowling unit, that could result in a spike of atleast 100 runs in the total, which might prove to be the difference.

#3 England must capitalise on experience, prowess, and conditions to outbat India

The overcast conditions in England may be volatile, but the pitches are much more reliable in comparison, especially in the Bazball era. If England stick with their modern DNA, a good track for batting may be on show, despite their fast bowling frailties. Under such conditions, both teams have no significant advantage or disadvantage as India's bowling prowess is cancelled out by England's batting, and vice versa.

But it is clear that the battle between the English batters against the Indian bowlers is the one to watch out for, and the one that might dictate the fate of the series.

Although India's batting unit comes with a lot of promise and potential, the English batters have a reputation and performances under their belt, especially on home soil. A settled opening combination, the class of Joe Root, a sturdy middle-order, and a long tail will certainly mean hard work for the Indian bowlers despite their ability. Moreover, the new-look Indian batting unit will be under pressure to match a well-honed batting unit while they try to learn on the job.

If England avails the opportunity to bat at times when conditions are most well-suited for batting, then in that case, they can negate the strength of the Indian bowling outfit. There is a good possibility of this since the Headingley pitch has generally been a good batting strip, especially as the match progresses.

In India's last face-off against Bazball at home, the then-skipper Rohit Sharma had to turn to the spinners to curb the run scoring as the pacers, barring Jasprit Bumrah, were being clobbered.

Shubman Gill does not have the luxury this time on unfamiliar conditions against a side that have gone from strength to strength outside of the subcontinent.