PIX: Gill-led India depart for England, aim to end 18-year long wait

Washiington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj at Mumbai airport ahead of their departure to England, on Friday

IMAGE: Washiington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj at Mumbai airport ahead of their departure to England, on Friday. Photograph: BCCI/X

The Shubman Gill-led Indian cricket team took off for England from Mumbai on Friday for a five-match Test series, part of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.

India's vice-captain Rishabh Pant departs for England for the five-match Test series starting June 20

IMAGE: India's vice-captain Rishabh Pant departs for England for the five-match Test series starting June 20. Photograph: BCCI/X

The series, to commence on June 20, will be played at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.

Indian Test captain Shubman Gill

IMAGE: Shubman Gill will look to begin his tenure as Indian Test captain on a positive note. Photograph: BCCI/X

India have not won a series in England since 2007. India's last tour to England in 2021 ended in a 2-2 draw.

India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was the highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets on the last tour, would want to repeat the feat

IMAGE: India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was the highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets on the last England tour, would want to repeat the feat. Photograph: BCCI/X

This will be India's first Test series since both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from Test cricket last month.

Indian Head Coach Gautam Gambhir

IMAGE: Indian Head Coach Gautam Gambhir. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Several Indian players who are part of the Test squad, are already in England representing India A in three warm-up matches against the England Lions, the first of which ended in a draw. Comeback man Karun Nair hit a double century in the opening unofficial Test.

Ravindra Jadeja will look to spin a web around English batters

IMAGE: Ravindra Jadeja will look to spin a web around English batters. Photograph: BCCI/X

The newly-engaged Kuldeep Yadav is all smiles

IMAGE: The newly-engaged Kuldeep Yadav is all smiles. Photograph: BCCI/X

The second unofficial Test is set to begin on Friday, June 6, at the County Ground in Northampton.

India's Test squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.