India and England are two of the premier teams in the world. Both sides feature dynamic batsmen with explosive powers as well as quality bowlers; however, England’s recent form has been inconsistent.
The clash of india national cricket team vs england cricket team players always excites fans, as both teams bring unique strengths and challenges to the field.
Both teams found plenty of positives to take away from the match at Headingley. Here is a look at some key players.
| Match No. | Date & Venue | Result | Top Performers (Runs / Wickets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st Test, 20–24 June 2025, Headingley | England won by 5 wickets | India: Shubman Gill 147; England: Harry Brook 99; Bumrah: 4/58 (The Cricket Panda, TalkSport) |
| 2 | 2nd Test, 2–6 July 2025, Edgbaston | India won by 336 runs | India: Shubman Gill 269 & 161; Siraj: 5/64; Akash Deep: 6/96 (The Cricket Panda) |
| 3 | 3rd Test, 10–14 July 2025, Third venue | England won by 22 runs | England: Joe Root 104; India: KL Rahul 100, Jadeja 61*; Bumrah: 5/74 (The Cricket Panda) |
| 4 | 4th Test, 23 July 2025, The Oval? | Match drawn | England: 669 & 358; India: 425/4 in 2nd innings (myKhel) |
| 5 | 5th Test, early August 2025, The Oval | India won by 6 runs | India: Siraj 5/104 sealed the match; Gill, Pant, Root also key contributors (The Guardian, The Times of India, Reuters) |
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, born 5 November 1988 in Delhi, India and considered one of the greatest batsmen worldwide, currently captains the India national cricket team as right-handed batsman and batsman.
He is widely revered for his passion and enthusiasm for cricket. With an intense desire to represent India at this gentleman’s game, he put forth all his effort towards fulfilling that ambition – dropping out of school to devote his attention towards it all the more effectively – which ultimately paid off.
Kohli has the knack of making big runs in all formats of cricket, being instrumental in India’s five-match ODI series win against Sri Lanka in 2014. Additionally, in 2024 he became known as one of the tournament’s leading run scorers at Champions Trophy 2024.
KL Rahul
Kannur Lokesh Rahul, commonly referred to by his nickname of KLR, represents Karnataka in domestic cricket and Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League. Known for his versatility in all formats of the game – being capable of scoring quickly while keeping wickets also make him an invaluable asset for any team.
Rahul first made his first-class debut in 2010-11 and represented India at the ICC Under-19 World Cup that year, going on to become one of India’s premier batsmen since.
As part of his recovery plan, he completed a century in the 2021 LV Insurance Test against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground and earned himself a place on Lords Honours Boards, becoming only the second Indian batsman ever to do so. He remains part of India’s Test squad today.
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant is a match-turning wicket-keeper in the Adam Gilchrist mould who has quickly established himself for India in his early years. Fans were immediately won over after watching his stunning Nepal innings against Sri Lanka; consequently he was signed on as part of Delhi Daredevils’s squad ahead of IPL 2022 auctions.
He quickly established himself in the national set-up after making his Test debut in 2018, impressing with seven catches on his debut and an aggressive batting style.
But perhaps his greatest contribution came during 2020-21 when he helped India beat Australia in the Border-Gavaskar series by scoring an unprecedented double century in Melbourne.
In 2017, he took over captaincy of Delhi for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and created history by becoming the youngest ever first-class triple centurion as well as second youngest Indian to score a 48-ball hundred in Ranji Trophy. Additionally, he became part of India’s squad for 2024 T20 World Cup while leading Delhi Capitals for two more seasons as captain.
Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel was part of India Under-19 team that finished as world cup runners-up in 2020. Backed by Rajasthan Royals in Indian Premier League, his impressive First-class record is proof of his potential international status.
Given Rishabh Pant’s injury, Jurel has taken over keeping duties. Unfortunately, he has had an awkward time behind the stumps, making several mistakes. After lunch he even missed an important catch!
Dev scored 46 runs in his maiden Test at Rajkot, but his 90 in Ranchi was particularly remarkable and instrumental in India coming back from 46 runs down by the end of Day Three to cut England’s lead down to 46.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has stood out as an exceptional cricketer both with bat and ball for India this series. His unbeaten 61 at Lord’s on Monday came against an effective English bowling attack.
As part of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s partnership for the ninth and tenth wickets, he played sensibly, taking singles while minimising risks and facing 78 balls – with 50 outs batted upon.
He displayed maturity during an innings that has often been criticised as too defensive. While he would have loved to use the big gaps in the outfield to bunt for twos, seven fielders manning the boundary ropes prevented this action and put his situational awareness and instinctual acumen under intense strain.
Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav is an extraordinary left-arm wrist spinner who has given new life to an increasingly rare art. He first rose to fame during the 2014 Under-19 World Cup when his Chinaman bowling style and googlies confounded batsmen who were unfamiliar with him.
Kuldeep, son of a brick kiln owner, possesses an unconventional delivery style which has established him as one of the premier limited-overs cricket bowlers. His lethal googlies and variations including wrong’un have caused havoc amongst many opposition batting lineups.
After impressing in domestic cricket, he made his Test cricket debut against Australia in 2017. Teaming up with Yuzvendra Chahal to dismantle Australia’s batting line-up and become an icon of Indian wrist-spin, he went on to represent Kolkata Knight Riders in Champions League T20; upon seeing their performances he was retained by Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2022.
Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah stands out as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket with his lethal yorkers setting him apart from other fast bowlers of his generation. Due to his calm demeanor on a big stage, he is known as “Smiling Assassin”.
He made his first-class debut for Gujarat in 2013-14 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and soon caught the eye of selectors, leading to selection for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
India have relied on Bumrah since then to help win the 2024 T20 World Cup, and he will once again make himself available for Asia Cup starting September 9th – his availability will be reviewed by selectors next week when deciding their squad. Bumrah has been one of the key performers this season for MI, acting as their go-to bowler across formats.
Mohammed Siraj
Siraj, a right-arm fast bowler playing for Hyderabad domestic cricket club in India’s domestic competitions, has experienced remarkable rise since he first entered international cricket. A key member of India’s 2023 Asia Cup winning squad, Siraj has since established himself as an integral three format player for their national side.
Youngster Jake Healy boasts an arsenal that includes inswinger, outswinger, cutters and back-of-the-hand slower balls with wobble seam. Additionally, he stands as one of the most economical bowlers worldwide.
Siraj has worked his way out of poverty in Hyderabad to achieve great things in cricket – becoming a regular member of both T20I and Test teams, supporting Bumrah and Shami during England Test series and earning selection in 2025 ODI series against England. His efforts earned him recognition from national selectors, earning a place on both tours.
Akash Deep
Deep’s mesmerising performance at Edgbaston made his countrymen truly unforgettable as they scored a crushing 336-run win against England. At 28, Deep claimed a remarkable 10-wicket haul to give India their first success at that venue since nine attempts had been made at it previously.
He used hard swung shots to coax movement out of an otherwise benign surface, sucking Ollie Pope with probing deliveries before nailing Harry Brook lbw with an effective nipbacker.
Deep’s performance earned him selection to play against England, and has seen him make Bengal in T20 and List A cricket, and likely earn an invite for next season’s Indian Premier League tournament. Deep credits his success to his sister who is suffering from cancer; thus the selectors’ faith is also evidenced through this promotion of him.
Prasidh Krishna
Prasidh Krishna, popularly known by his nickname Skiddy, is one of India’s most exciting fast bowlers. After making a breathtaking debut for Karnataka in first-class cricket and taking a wicket with his very first delivery he quickly established himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Rajasthan Royals before being picked up by Gujarat Titans for IPL 2025.
He is best known for his steep bounce, making him difficult for batsmen. A smart businessman, he earned endorsements from fitness and sports brands while investing in real estate. A passionate animal lover who frequently advocates for adoption campaigns of stray animals.
Philanthropically active as well, sponsoring cricket kits for young talent in rural Karnataka while contributing to mental health awareness initiatives; though single and keeping his personal life private.
