England vs India at Headingley: A Stadium Steeped in History

Headingley Test Preview: Stats, history, and India’s unforgettable moments at one of England’s most iconic grounds.

Headingley Stadium (Image Source: Google)

The marquee five-Test series between England and India begins on June 20, with the first Rothesay Test at Headingley. Test cricket returns to the ground after a gap since the last Test here against Australia in July 2023.

Headingley Stadium, home to Yorkshire County Cricket Club, boasts a rich sporting legacy. Uniquely, it offers a panoramic view of both a cricket ground and a rugby arena. Located just three miles from central Leeds, the stadium is well connected.

Yorkshire has long been a powerhouse of English cricket, producing legends like Herbert Sutcliffe, Len Hutton, and Geoff Boycott.

The ground was originally developed by the Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Co. under the patronage of Lord Hawke. The first first-class match was held in 1890, and in 1903, Yorkshire made Headingley their permanent base. In 2005, the club purchased the stadium for £12 million, leading to multiple phases of redevelopment. Headingley hosted its first Test in 1899, against Australia.

Historic Test Moments at Headingley:

1981 Comeback: England, after following on 227 runs behind, were 135/7 but beat Australia by 18 runs – only the second time in Test history a team won after following on.

Bradman’s Brilliance: Two triple-centuries – 334 in 1930 (309 in one day!) and 304 in 1934.

John Edrich’s 310 in 1965*: An innings featuring 53 fours and 5 sixes against New Zealand.

Boycott’s 100th 100: Geoff Boycott reached his 100th first-class century at Headingley in 1977 against Australia.

England’s Record at Headingley:

Played: 80 | Won: 37 | Lost: 25 | Drawn: 18

India’s Connection with Headingley:

Played: 7 | Won: 2 (1986, 2002) | Lost: 4 | Drawn: 1

First win: 1986, under Kapil Dev.

Second win: 2002, under Sourav Ganguly, featuring centuries by Dravid (148), Tendulkar (193), and Ganguly (128). India posted 628/8d.

Worst collapse: 2021, India were bowled out for 78, losing by an innings and 76 runs.

Historic low: In 1952, India lost four wickets without a run in the second innings.

In 1967, Geoff Boycott’s 246* led England to victory; however, his slow batting led to his exclusion from the next Test.

M.A.K. Pataudi’s 64 and 148 in 1967 remain among India’s finest performances here.

Yorkshire’s overseas legacy began with Sachin Tendulkar in 1992, later including Yuvraj Singh, Cheteshwar Pujara, and now Ruturaj Gaikwad (joining in July 2025).

Ground Details:

Capacity: 18,350

End Names: Kirkstall Lane End, Football Stand End

Floodlights: Yes