There was a sense of calm and respect in the air as India and England walked out for the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley. Both sides wore black armbands, a simple but powerful tribute to the lives lost in last week’s heartbreaking Air India crash near Ahmedabad.
The series may have just begun, but cricket took a moment to stand still.
Ahmedabad Air India Crash Casts a Shadow
The tragedy unfolded on June 12, when a Dreamliner bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft went down into a nearby hostel building, turning a regular flight into a national disaster.
A total of 241 people lost their lives, including the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani. One man, Vishwas Kumar survived the deadly plane crash being a miracle.
The news shook the country. At Headingley, that grief echoed in silence.
England Cricket Offers Its Support
England Cricket later confirmed the teams’ gesture with a heartfelt message shared on social media.
“Both teams will wear black armbands today as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in the Air India plane crash. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the terrible events that took place in Ahmedabad last week.”
A perfectly observed minutes silence.
This morning we remember those lost in the tragic Air India crash last week. pic.twitter.com/mEDsQPqVmH
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 20, 2025
Stokes Sends India In First
At the toss, England captain Ben Stokes called correctly and didn’t hesitate to bowl first. With clouds hovering and moisture in the pitch, it felt like the right call.
“We’ll bowl. Headingley is a very good cricket wicket. We’ve had some really good games here. Want to try to use the early conditions. Been a long time coming, but it’s a bit strange that this is just the second series, but we’re ready. It’s been mixed, some lads have played county cricket, we’ve had three days of really good cricket. Usual suspects in the top seven, Woakes, Brydon and the rest.”
The crowd, though small in the early hours, settled in as both sides geared up for what promised to be a tightly contested match.
Sai Steps In, Karun Comes Back
India introduced a fresh face to their Test side, handing a debut to 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan. Tall, left-handed, and confident, Sai was welcomed into the team by Cheteshwar Pujara, who handed him his Test cap.
There was also a feel-good comeback story of Karun Nair, once a triple-centurion, who found his way back into the squad after nearly eight years in the wilderness.
India’s captain Shubman Gill spoke at the toss about his side’s mindset going in.
“Would’ve bowled first as well, might be a bit tough in the first session, but it should be good to bat on later. The sun is out, so it should be a good batting deck for us. Preparation has been amazing, we played a practice game in Beckenham, and the lads are feeling great. Sai makes his debut, and Karun comes in. Sai will bat at three.”
(Playing XI)
India: Shubman Gill(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant(w), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
England: Ben Stokes(c), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.
(With Inputs From ANI)
