IND vs ENG 1st Test: Leeds pitch report, highest score, Headingley stats

India vs England Test key stats at Headingley Leeds: India's highest score - 628/8d, India's lowest score - 78; England's highest score - 570-7d, England's lowest score - 67

A new captain. A bold coach. A team in flux. When India takes on England in the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy starting Friday at Headingley, Leeds, the series promises more than just cricket—it promises a turning point. Shubman Gill, just 25, steps into the leadership void left by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma with a side that’s a blend of fresh legs and battle-scarred veterans. For Gill, it's not just a debut series as captain—it’s a baptism by fire against a side that has redefined Test batting under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. 

  Check India vs England 1st Test Playing 11 live updates here

 

So, Business Standard looks at the key stats at Headingley Stadium and how the Leeds wicket is expected to behave over the course of five days.

 

India vs England 1st Test: Headingley, Leeds pitch report

 

Headingley Pitch Report: Stuart Broad Expects Early Seam, Late Spin in Series Opener

 

Former England pacer Stuart Broad has offered his assessment of the Headingley surface ahead of the first Test between India and England. Broad noted that while the pitch has a tinge of green and 9mm of grass, it is slightly less lively than county games, where the grass cover typically measures around 12mm.

 

Discussing conditions, Broad highlighted the importance of overhead factors. “In Leeds, you talk about blue skies and the clouds. It’s about looking at the clouds and hoping there will be swing. But with blue skies, I think there will be slightly less than that,” he said.

 

Broad believes Day 1 will offer something for the seamers. “You always get a bit of seam movement or something in the pitch here. I think it will carry through nicely for the first couple of days,” he added. With a dry forecast, Broad expects the surface to crack up and offer some spin later in the game.

 

Noting the existing cracks, he pointed out that the ball must be pitched fuller. “You have to risk a drive. There’s nothing for short—being cut and pulled. You have to make batters hit down the ground. You need 3-4 slips for most of the day,” Broad advised, adding that reverse swing could come into play later, but only if the new ball is used effectively.

 

What to expect from the Headingley surface

 

Early gremlins: The pitch typically favours seamers up front. Among all English venues that have hosted five or more Tests since 2010, Headingley has the lowest collective batting average (27.48) in the first and second innings.

 

Late redemption for batters: The track tends to ease out, boasting the best collective batting average (33.65) in the third and fourth innings across major English Test grounds.

 

Toss tales: Bowl first, reap rewards 

Six-Test streak: Teams bowling first have emerged victorious in each of the last six Tests at Headingley.

 

Chasing made easy: The last four matches at this venue have seen successful fourth-innings chases of 322, 359, 296, and 251—a rare feat in Test cricket, and a testament to the pitch flattening out.

 

But there’s a catch—The Leeds weather

 

Dry Spell Disruption? In the lead-up to the Test, Leeds has experienced unusually warm and dry conditions, raising the possibility that the pitch might break up more than usual.

 

Rain Lurks in the Forecast: Though the heat may alter the surface behaviour, rain is expected over the five days, potentially resetting the pitch’s traditional rhythm.  Check India vs England 1st Test full scorecard and match details here 

  What is India highest score at Headingley, Leeds in Test cricket?  India's highest team total in Leeds in 628-8 dec. India piled up over 600 runs in the first innings on August 22, 2002 and emerged victorious.  What is England highest score at Headingley, Leeds in Test cricket?  England's score of 570-7 dec is their highest team total in Leeds. England achieved their highest score in Leeds on May 25, 2007. 

Top 20 highest totals in Tests at England's Headingley Stadium in Leeds
Team	Score	Overs	RR	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Result	Match Date
Australia	653/4d	193	3.38	1	v England	Leeds	won	22 Jul 1993
India	628/8d	180.1	3.48	1	v England	Leeds	won	22 Aug 2002
Australia	601/7d	178.3	3.36	1	v England	Leeds	won	8 Jun 1989
Australia	584	183.5	3.17	2	v England	Leeds	draw	20 Jul 1934
England	570/7d	122.3	4.65	1	v West Indies	Leeds	won	25 May 2007
Australia	566	168	3.36	1	v England	Leeds	draw	11 Jul 1930
England	550/4d	183	3	1	v India	Leeds	won	8 Jun 1967
England	546/4d	151	3.61	1	v New Zealand	Leeds	won	8 Jul 1965
Pakistan	538	141.4	3.79	2	v England	Leeds	lost	4 Aug 2006
South Africa	538	235.3	2.28	1	v England	Leeds	draw	26 Jul 1951
England	533	125	4.26	2	v Australia	Leeds	won	13 Jun 1985
England	526	133.1	3.94	2	v New Zealand	Leeds	won	3 Jun 2004
South Africa	522	176.2	2.96	2	v England	Leeds	won	18 Jul 2008
England	515	123	4.18	1	v Pakistan	Leeds	won	4 Aug 2006
India	510	209.2	2.43	3	v England	Leeds	lost	8 Jun 1967
England	505	224.5	2.24	2	v South Africa	Leeds	draw	26 Jul 1951
Australia	501/9d	123	4.07	2	v England	Leeds	won	24 Jul 1997
England	501	156.5	3.19	2	v Pakistan	Leeds	draw	8 Aug 1996
West Indies	500/9d	164	3.04	1	v England	Leeds	won	4 Aug 1966
South Africa	500	208.5	2.39	3	v England	Leeds	won	21 Jul 1955

  What is India's lowest score at Headingley Leeds in Test cricket history?   

Lowest totals in Tests at England's Headingley Stadium in Leeds
Team	Score	Overs	RR	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Result	Match Date
West Indies	61	26.2	2.31	3	v England	Leeds	lost	17 Aug 2000
New Zealand	67	59.1	1.13	1	v England	Leeds	lost	3 Jul 1958
England	67	27.5	2.4	2	v Australia	Leeds	won	22 Aug 2019
South Africa	75	44.4	1.67	4	v England	Leeds	lost	29 Jul 1907
England	76	36.3	2.08	1	v South Africa	Leeds	won	29 Jul 1907
India	78	40.4	1.91	1	v England	Leeds	lost	25 Aug 2021
England	87	37.5	2.29	4	v Australia	Leeds	lost	1 Jul 1909
Australia	88	33.1	2.65	1	v Pakistan	Leeds	lost	21 Jul 2010
Sri Lanka	91	36.4	2.48	2	v England	Leeds	lost	19 May 2016
England	102	45.1	2.25	2	v India	Leeds	lost	19 Jun 1986
England	102	33.5	3.01	1	v Australia	Leeds	lost	7 Aug 2009
Australia	103	31.3	3.26	2	v England	Leeds	lost	11 Aug 1977
South Africa	110	31.5	3.45	2	v England	Leeds	lost	29 Jul 1907
Australia	111	36.1	3.06	4	v England	Leeds	lost	16 Jul 1981
Sri Lanka	119	35.3	3.35	3	v England	Leeds	lost	19 May 2016
Australia	120	52.5	2.27	3	v England	Leeds	lost	6 Jul 1961
England	123	50.5	2.41	3	v Australia	Leeds	lost	22 Jul 1938
England	128	63.3	2.01	4	v India	Leeds	lost	19 Jun 1986
New Zealand	129	101.2	1.27	3	v England	Leeds	lost	3 Jul 1958
Pakistan	131	65.1	2.01	2	v England	Leeds	lost	5 Jul 1962

 

Key stats to know during India vs England 1st Test in Leeds

 

• The last time India played at Headingley, they were skittled out for just 78 in their first innings—marking their third-lowest total in England. Interestingly, this ground also witnessed their second-highest Test total in the country: a commanding 628.
• Jasprit Bumrah is just five wickets away from becoming the first Indian to claim 150 Test wickets in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries. Among Asian bowlers, only Wasim Akram, with 146, has more.
• Joe Root, meanwhile, has scored 2,846 runs at an average of 58.08 with 10 centuries against India—more than any other batter in Test history. Yet, Bumrah has proved to be his frequent nemesis, dismissing him nine times in the format.

 

India’s haunting history in England

 

The record books don’t paint a pretty picture. In nine decades, only three Indian teams—those led by Ajit Wadekar (1971), Kapil Dev (1986), and Rahul Dravid (2007)—have returned from England with a Test series win. And now, Gill’s India must chase history without Kohli, the side’s red-ball torchbearer, who has stepped into Test cricket’s sunset.