Dinesh Karthik predicts a stunning scoreline for ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former Indian wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik predicted a 2-2 scoreline for the upcoming India-England five-match Test series. The series in England marks the beginning of India's 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill will lead the Indian side after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's recent retirements. Meanwhile, England haven't lost a home Test series since mid-2022 when Ben Stokes was appointed Test captain.

Looking ahead to the highly anticipated series, Karthik made his prediction in a conversation on Sky Cricket, saying:

I was always of the opinion that it could be England 3-1. But after seeing their bowling attack and the number of injuries they have, I feel this will be 2-2 actually.

Incidentally, India's previous Test tour of England in 2021/22 ended in a 2-2 draw, with the hosts overcoming a 1-2 deficit to win the final Test. The two teams last met in Tests in a five-match series in India early last year, with the hosts securing a comfortable 4-1 victory.

When did India last beat England in an away Test series?

India have struggled to dethrone the home side in their recent tours of England despite coming close several times. The Asian giants last won a Test series in England in 2007 by a 1-0 margin when Rahul Dravid led the side.

India suffered a 0-4 whitewash in 2011, followed by a 1-3 drubbing in 2014. They competed in most of the matches in their 2018 tour but ultimately lost the five-Test series by a 1-4 scoreline. Their previous tour in 2021/22 ended in a 2-2 draw.

In their last Test series win in England in 2007, Team India escaped with a draw in the series opener at Lord's. They stunned the hosts with a seven-wicket win in the second Test at Nottingham before another drawn outing in the final game at the Oval.

England's home domination in Tests under Stokes, combined with Gill captaining the Indian side for the first time in Tests, makes it a daunting task for Team India to repeat their 2007 heroics.

Both teams did not qualify for the WTC final in the 2023-25 cycle. While India finished runners-up in the previous two cycles in 2019-21 and 2021-23, England never advanced to the summit clash across the three editions.