Smiles, shades and a new era: Team India arrives in England for five-match series; first Test begins on June 20

Team India touched down in England on Saturday, kicking off preparations for the five-match Test series that marks the beginning of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. This series also signals the start of a new era for Indian cricket, following the Test retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.The BCCI shared a behind-the-scenes video on social media capturing the team’s arrival at Heathrow Airport. The footage showcased a relaxed yet focused Indian squad, with laughter and light-hearted banter flowing freely as they prepare for the high-profile series.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In a moment that has already gone viral, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was heard joking, “Raat me bande ne chasme pahne huwe hai” (The guy is wearing shades at night), just before the video cut to new captain Shubman Gill confidently striding through the airport wearing sunglasses. The exchange gave fans a glimpse into the team’s chemistry as it transitions into a new leadership era.“Excited to be part of the Indian Test team,” said a smiling Sai Sudharsan in the video. “Welcome to the UK,” he added, summing up the mood of the young squad.WACTH:The series, set between June and August 2025, will be played at iconic venues: Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord’s and The Oval (London), and Old Trafford (Manchester).Gill, who takes over as full-time Test captain, leads a side in flux with several players including R Ashwin also stepping away from the longest format. Meanwhile, several squad members had already arrived earlier in the UK, turning out for India A in a warm-up series against the England Lions.The second unofficial Test between India A and the England Lions began on June 6 in Northampton, providing crucial match practice ahead of the main series.England, reeling from their 4-1 defeat in India earlier this year, have announced a revamped squad for the first Test at Headingley. Veteran pacer James Anderson has retired, while Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Ollie Robinson have been omitted.The first Test between India and England is scheduled to begin on June 20, with both teams eager to set the tone for the new WTC cycle.Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.England squad for first Test: Ben Stokes (Durham, captain), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Sam Cook (Essex), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), and Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).