Meet the only England player to feature in Headingley Test vs India in 2021 and 2025
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Meet the only England player to feature in Headingley Test vs India in 2021 and 2025")
Meet the only England player Photograph: (AFP)
The 2025 squad is young and exciting, featuring players like Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope and Shoaib Bashir. But among them, Root stands tall as the experienced pillar.
When India and England face off in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday (Jun 20), a lot will feel new, especially for India. Under the new leadership of Shubman Gill, the Indian Test team is stepping into a new era after legends like Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Rohit Sharma bid farewell to red-ball cricket.
But there’s one familiar face on the other side. For England, former captain Joe Root is the only player from their 2021 Headingley XI who will also be part of the 2025 playing XI. A lot has changed in these four years for England, but Root’s presence and consistency remain constant.
Also Read | IND vs ENG 1st Test, Preview: Shubman Gill era begins as Team India launches quest for history in UK
Back in 2021, Root led England to a dominant win over India in Leeds. He scored a brilliant 121, and England won that match by an innings and 76 runs. Ollie Robinson, who was the Player of the Match back then with seven wickets, is not in the squad this time. Root’s experience will be key, especially with so many fresh faces around.
England's 2021 lineup included names like Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, James Anderson and Craig Overton, most of whom have either retired or are no longer in contention. Moeen, Anderson and Malan have stepped away from the game, while Bairstow and Buttler last played in 2024 and 2022, respectively. Hameed, despite strong performances in county cricket, hasn’t made a return yet.
Meanwhile, the 2025 squad is young and exciting, featuring players like Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope and Shoaib Bashir. But among them, Root stands tall as the experienced pillar. With 121 Tests and over 13,000 runs, he brings calmness and class to a fresh England team.
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As England takes the field with a new lineup, Joe Root’s role becomes even more important.
