Today Match Pitch Report - ENG vs IND Day 5, First Test 2025

The first Test between England and India in a five-match Test series is now nearing its end, and both sides have been adamant about taking the lead in this hard-fought battle. The Indian batters dominated Day 1 on a pitch dubbed the “Bowler's Paradise.” But the English bowlers made a comeback on Day 2 and stopped the Indian batters at 471. Then the Three Lions went to chase a difficult target and eventually eyeing to take a lead in the first innings.

However, there was the Indian anomaly, Jasprit Bumrah, standing in their way. He didn't let the English go beyond 465, saving India a 6-run lead.

At the end of Day 3, India was at 90/2, which was a good start. Nevertheless, they built on that advantage on Day 4 quite formidably, taking India's lead to 371 runs. Then came England's batting, and Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have brilliantly managed to safeguard their wicket till stumps on Day 4.

Now, all that remains is to see whether the English team will successfully chase the target or the Indian bowlers will somehow manage to take all 10 of England's wickets in a single day. Day 5 is going to be the most interesting day of this showdown, and like always, the pitch and weather conditions will play a major role in determining the fate of the match.

Pitch & Weather Report Today

The pitch at Headingley, Leeds, is famous for its seam and bounce and is a bowling paradise in the initial phases of the match. But as the pitch gets old, it becomes a batting haven for hitters. However, the weather conditions may throw unexpected twists and turns in this intriguing story. It's usually the initial days that are dominated by bowlers, as the lush green pitch aids them with much pace and bounce.

Batters have their time from Day 3-4 onwards, with the pitch showing wear and tear as the match progresses. On the other hand, spinners might get a chance to exploit the pitch conditions only if the pitch develops cracks or becomes dry with the warm and sunny weather at Leeds. All in all, it's going to be a difficult challenge for the batters, and their skills will be tested fully on this pitch.

The average score in the first innings is around 300, which ensures a pretty tight match for both teams. The temperature in Leeds will start around 19°C at the beginning of the match and drop to about 14°C by the end. Humidity will be around 88% during the game. The sky will be partly sunny today with a very minimal possibility of rain.

Today Match Pitch Report & Conditions

• Pitch Behavior: The pitch at Headingley in Leeds is known for hosting intense matches, with pacers having a huge advantage over batters. It has been an iconic cricket ground for generations and has witnessed some of the most historic clashes. Fast bowlers will especially enjoy the wickets in the first innings, with a lush green pitch adding to their dominance. However, the pitch is expected to get batting-friendly as the match progresses, aiding the hitters, according to our today match pitch report.
• Best Suited to: The pitch is best suited for seamers. Extraordinary seam and bounce on Day 1, which extends to Day 2 as well; however, the pitch might act in the bowlers' favor on Day 4. Teams with strong batting line-ups are expected to perform well here. Spinners who can bowl tight lines may be effective in the latter parts of the match as the ball will start to grip, according to our today pitch report.
• Average 1st Innings Score: The average first innings score at this venue is around 300 runs. According to today match pitch report, the batters might find it challenging at first but will find some support from this pitch eventually.

Today Match Weather Report & Conditions

• Temperature: The temperature during the match is expected to be around 19°C on Day 5 according to our today match weather report.
• Weather: The weather is partly sunny, and there is a minimal chance of rain. So, rain interruptions might happen. In the event of rain interruptions, the match may be abandoned. But the likelihood of this happening is almost 34%
• Humidity: Humidity will stay around 88%. The weather will be partly sunny, and the players have to deal with high humidity in Leeds.
• Wind Speed: Wind speed will be moderate, around 17 km/h. This could assist swing bowlers a lot throughout the match.

How many times have England and India faced off at Headingley, Leeds?

India and England have only faced each other seven times at Headingley in Leeds, which makes this match-up even more exciting. Out of the seven matches that both these cricketing giants have played at Headingly, Leeds, England has won four, and India has won only two, while one match resulted in a draw. Anyhow, Indian and England first clashed at this venue in 1952, and their last match-up here was in 2021.

ENG vs IND Head-to-Head Records (Last 10 Test Matches):