The India Test series will kick off on June 20 in Headingley.
England captain Ben Stokes has warned his teammates not to assume that the India team is weaker than before due to the recent Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
“You can never take any Indian team lightly even if the fact that they are without two of their great batsmen,” he said in a video posted by England and Wales Cricket Board.
The all-rounder emphasised the rich bench strength of India, which empowers a strong batting order. He also credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) for operating like a talent hub and producing such high-quality players in every edition of the tournament.
“One thing about India is their battery of batsmen; it is just incredible. The time I’ve spent in the IPL, they’ve got batters coming out of there,” stated the England skipper.
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Moreover, the 33-year-old also mentioned how the English team will look to capitalise on India, keeping in mind the absence of Kohli and Rohit on their batting lineup.
“We always look to get out the opposition at the start of the Test match and then look to see how we adapt throughout the game as it progresses. But I know they have got two big retirements. They have been such an important part of the Indian team and all the success they’ve had,” he added.
India will tour England for a five-match Test series next month. After the sudden Test retirement of India captain Rohit Sharma, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce their new captain for the red-ball format. The final squad announcement is expected to be released this week.
Notably, England captain Ben Stokes is making his return to international cricket in this series. Earlier, a hamstring injury followed by surgery had sidelined him from participating in England’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. The series between England and India will kick off on June 20 in Headingley.
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