India vs England Pitch, Weather Report: Will rain play spoilsport in the Headingley series opener?

The eagerly awaited five-match Test series between India and England begins on Friday, June 20 at Headingley in Leeds, marking the start of a new cycle in the World Test Championship. As both teams aim to get off to a strong start, weather conditions could play a key role in shaping the outcome of the first match.

Ind vs Eng Leeds Weather Update

Day 1 (Friday, June 20): Good news for fans—Day 1 is expected to be warm and dry. With temperatures peaking at 31°C, minimal cloud cover, and just a 5% chance of rain, a full day’s play looks likely.

Day 2 (Saturday, June 21): Conditions change slightly with afternoon showers predicted and a 60% chance of rain, which could cause interruptions during the post-lunch session. The morning is expected to be drier.


Day 3 (Sunday, June 22): Temperatures will drop (high of 22°C, low of 12°C) with some light showers early on. However, skies should turn partly cloudy and rain chances drop to 4%, making most of the day playable.

Day 4 (Monday, June 23): Expect partly sunny and breezy weather. There’s a 25% chance of a brief morning shower, but the rest of the day looks favorable.

Day 5 (Tuesday, June 24): Cloudy in the morning, but conditions are expected to clear up as the day progresses. Rain remains a 25% possibility, but long delays seem unlikely.

India vs England 1st Test, Leeds Pitch Report

Early visuals suggest that the Headingley surface has a healthy green cover, known to support seam and swing bowling, particularly during the opening two days. Overhead cloud cover may further assist bowlers in generating lateral movement.

Batters will need to stay cautious early on, but the pitch tends to settle down by Day 3. As footmarks develop, spinners could become effective in the latter half of the match.

In summary, while Day 2 might see some weather interruptions, the rest of the Test promises plenty of action.

India Squad

Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

England Squad

Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

India vs England Test Series Schedule 2025

1st Test: June 20–24 – Headingley, Leeds
2nd Test: July 2–6 – Edgbaston, Birmingham
3rd Test: July 10–14 – Lord’s, London
4th Test: July 23–27 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
5th Test: July 31–August 4 – Kia Oval, London