India vs England 2025 Test series: Headingley, Leeds pitch history and Test records

Test cricket returns to Headingley for the first time since July 2023. The venue will host the first Test between India and England from June 20 to 24. It is the first game of the five-match series.

Both India and England will kick off their respective campaigns in the new ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with this series. Both nations will be keen to start with a win after failing to reach the final of the previous WTC tournament (2023-25).

Before Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes walk out for the coin toss in Leeds, here's a glance at the pitch history of the venue.

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Headingley, Leeds, Test records

81 Test matches have been played at this venue. England have a decent 37-25 win-loss record. The English team crushed India by an innings and 76 runs in their last match on this ground in 2021.

Here are some crucial stats from the previous Test matches played in Leeds:

Test matches played: 81

Won by teams batting first: 29

Won by teams batting second: 34

Drawn: 18

Highest individual score: 334 - Don Bradman (AUS) vs England, 1930

Best bowling figures (innings): 8/43 - Bob Willis (ENG) vs Australia, 1981

Best bowling figures (match): 15/99 - Colin Blythe (ENG) vs South Africa, 1907

Highest team total: 653/4 dec - Australia vs England, 1993

Lowest team total: 61 - West Indies vs England, 2000

Highest successful run-chase: 404/3 - Australia vs England, 1948

Average first innings score: 304.

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Headingley, Leeds, Pitch report

The pitch report will be broadcast live from Leeds before the toss in the first Test match. The pitch generally favors the batters and the fast bowlers. Batters have scored heaps of runs in the previous Tests hosted by Leeds.

Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins and English pacer Mark Wood bagged a five-wicket haul each in the last Test at this venue, indicating that the wicket may offer help to the quick bowlers.

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Headingley, Leeds, Last Test match

England beat Australia by three wickets in the last Test hosted by Headingley in July 2023. England chased down a 251-run target in the fourth innings to record a memorable win in The Ashes series.

Mitchell Marsh's ton guided the Aussies to 263 in the first innings, and in reply, Ben Stokes' 80-run knock inspired England to 237. Travis Head's 112-ball 77 ensured that Australia set a 251-run target for England. The home team reached 254/7, with Harry Brook aggregating 75 runs.

Brief scores: Australia 263 (Mitchell Marsh 118, Mark Wood 5/34) & 224 (Travis Head 77, Stuart Broad 3/45) lost to England 237 (Ben Stokes 80, Pat Cummins 6/91) & 254/7 (Harry Brook 75, Mitchell Starc 5/78) by 3 wickets.