Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared a light-hearted moment with ex-England captain Michael Vaughan ahead of the first Test between India and England at Headingley. During the pre-match show on Sony Sports Network, Pujara handed Vaughan a framed printout of his 2020 tweet that wrongly predicted a 4-0 whitewash for India during their tour of Australia. He then asked Vaughan to sign it. The moment sparked laughter among fellow commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle. Vaughan, clearly amused and slightly embarrassed, signed the frame as the studio enjoyed the playful dig.
The tweet from Vaughan, posted during the 2020–21 Australia tour, read, “Told ya … India are going to get hammered in the Test Series … #AUSvIND #4-0.” However, India had the last laugh by winning the series 2-1 despite missing several key players. Captain Virat Kohli had returned home on paternity leave and pacer Mohammed Shami was ruled out due to injury. India famously chased down 328 runs at the Gabba to clinch the series. That win marked Australia’s first defeat at the venue in over thirty years. Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar made crucial contributions with the bat in the first innings, while Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant led the chase with fearless batting. India thus became the first team to win consecutive Test series in Australia. Pujara, who was Player of the Series in the 2018–19 tour, finished as India’s second-highest run-scorer in the 2020–21 series with 271 runs. Pant topped the batting charts for India with 274 runs at an average of 68. With the ball, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah led a young and depleted attack, combining for 24 wickets and consistently troubling Australia’s top-order batters.
As the new series began in Leeds, Indian fans are hopeful that Shubman Gill and his young team can replicate the heroics of the 2020–21 tour. England entered the contest with a weakened bowling attack, missing Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson due to injuries. India are also in a transition phase, fielding a new-look squad after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket.
The first Test featured the debut of Sai Sudharsan and marked the return of Karun Nair to the Indian side after eight years. England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Cheteshwar Pujara, despite scoring 7,195 runs in 103 Tests, was not included in the squad for this tour. His last appearance came in the 2023 World Test Championship final, where he managed 41 runs across two innings against Australia.
India are aiming to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007. Their last tour in 2021–22 ended in a 2-2 draw. England, on the other hand, remain unbeaten in home Test series under Ben Stokes since he took over as captain in 2022.
