ENG vs IND 3rd Test 2025: Predicted Lineups & Day 1 Pitch Report

As the England vs India 3rd test unfolds at Lord's between 10–14 July 2025, both teams are completing lineups for playing XIs to match the seam-friendly conditions anticipated on Day 1. The winning of the toss will most probably attempt to bowl first on a green, lively pitch, as pace and patience will take center stage in initial proceedings.

Probable England XI

• Zak Crawley – robust opener; seasoned even with inconsistent form
• Ben Duckett – aggressive left-hander slip fielder
• Ollie Pope – vice-captain, in good touch; averages ~36 in Tests
• Joe Root – the series anchor for England
• Harry Brook – explosive middle-order batter
• Ben Stokes (c) – captain under the scanner but essential all-rounder
• Jamie Smith (wk) – successful in the number 7 position with contributions of 184 & 88
• Chris Woakes – consistent Lord's seam bowler, kept for experience
• Jofra Archer – back after an extended injury layoff; essential for bounce and pace
• Gus Atkinson – brought in for balance; new fast bowling option
• Brydon Carse – third seam seamer to support pace attack

Change insight key point: England will probably substitute spin-intensive options such as Bashir and Tongue with Archer and Atkinson to make the most of early seam under a green surface.

Possible India XI

• Shubman Gill (c) – red-hot captain with ~430 runs in previous Tests
• KL Rahul – technically correct right-hander
• Yashasvi Jaiswal – outstanding opener with Gill
• (Possibly Joe Root) – middle-order placeholder; refer pillar article
• Rishabh Pant (wk) – wicketkeeper with counter-attacking ability
• Washington Sundar – all-rounder provides balance
• Ravindra Jadeja – senior spinning all-rounder
• Jasprit Bumrah – Spearhead returns; leading pace brigade in expected to be led
• Akash Deep – pace bowler in the mix
• Mohammed Siraj – seasoned seam bowler
• Prasidh Krishna – seam support from the other end

Note: India won't have Kuldeep Yadav, going for the pace/spin combination with Sundar and Jadeja. Bumrah returning makes their attack much stronger .

Day 1 Pitch Report: A Bowler's Paradise?

Green tinge & lush grass cover

Early pitch pics show a definite green tinge—indicating help for seamers in the initial stages.

Lord's slope

The infamous slope—from Pavilion to Nursery end—encourages seam movement and tests batters, particularly against the swing bowlers.

Seam and bounce expected early

Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak warned of reduced scoring rates due to lateral movement, advising patience over aggression.

England requesting a lively pitch

After the centrifugal batting track at Edgbaston, England coach Brendon McCullum officially sought a more traditional Lord’s surface to suit pace bowling.

Tactical Implications

  1. Tactical toss decisions

Captains are expected to bowl first to exploit morning movement and avoid slope later in the day.

   2. Bowler battle advantage

England's recall of Archer and Atkinson strengthens their pace attack. India’s Bumrah levels the playing field, ensuring both sets of quicks will be crucial on Day 1.

   3. Batting blueprint

Teams must adopt grind-over-glory: occupy crease, defend judiciously, and wait for the pitch to flatten before accelerating.

    4. Middle-order importance

Middle-order stability (like Root, Brook, Pant, Rahul) will prove pivotal in knee-jerk scenarios after early wickets.

Conclusion

The stage is set for an enthralling Day 1 at Lord’s—with seamers likely dictating the early narrative. England’s reinforcement with pace, India’s bowling balance, and a green, slope-affected wicket suggest a battle of attrition over fireworks.