“It’s going to be 3-2” - Former captain’s massive series prediction for ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has backed India to defeat England in the upcoming five-match Test series, scheduled to begin from June 20. The Shubman Gill-led Men in Blue have a huge task on their hands, as they aim to deliver the nation's first red-ball series win on English soil since 2007.

The five-match affair also marks the start of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC), and both sides are on the lookout to make a strong start after an underwhelming previous two-year cycle, which recently came to a close.

Jasprit Bumrah's unavailability for all five Tests, the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and the fact that the team will be battling tough conditions, have deterred people from labelling them as outright favorites.

Michael Clarke, however, feels that the young side can script history by beating Ben Stokes and co. in their backyard.

"It’s going to be 3-2. There you go. I’m going for India. I’m going to watch the Lord’s Test. I’m going to watch India play at Lord’s. So, I am going for India. I want them to win 3-2," Clarke said in an interview with RevSportz.

"Well, yes, I do give them a chance, but it’s a lot more inexperienced team than the one I expected to be on a plane to England. Having no Rohit Sharma, no Virat Kohli, is huge. Players come, players go, people retire and the game moves on. So that does not mean a new captain is the worst thing for India. I’m not saying that. Somebody retires, and that gives somebody else an opportunity," he added.

The first Test between India and England is set to be played at Headingley, Leeds. The Men in Blue competed against the 'A' side in an intra-squad fixture recently to prepare for the red-ball season.

"If he and a fit Bumrah were in Australia, then it would have been a very different series" - Michael Clarke on Mohammad Shami's importance

The visitors have committed to the transition across departments, and the selectors' decision-making reflected the same. The likes of Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh were picked to strengthen the pace bowling department, while Mohammad Shami was snubbed.

The team management were not convinced of his fitness, and doubted his ability to bowl long spells with the red ball in England. The veteran seamer also had a woeful 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, picking only six wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 11.23.

"I also saw no [Mohammed] Shami in the squad as well. I think him missing the Australian series was huge, and if he and a fit Bumrah were in Australia, then it would have been a very different series," Clarke said.

Shami has not played Test cricket since the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia. He played for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy after completing his recovery from injury in 2024, before featuring for the Men in Blue in white-ball cricket.