Lord's first women's Test: England vs India in historic red-ball clash
Synopsis
Lord's is staging a women's Test for the first time in its 140-year history — and India arrive as the side with the stronger red-ball record, unbeaten in nine previous Tests on English soil. With five England debutants, an injured India opener, and a ground that has never seen this fixture before, the match is as tactically open as it is historically significant.
Key Takeaways
Lord's hosts its first-ever women's Test on 11 July 2025 , more than 140 years after its inaugural men's Test.
Over 30,000 tickets have been sold across four days — the highest attendance ever for a women's Test in the UK .
India are unbeaten in all nine previous women's Tests in England , with just one defeat in 15 Tests against England overall.
England have won only one Test in the past decade and suffered a heavy defeat to Australia at the MCG earlier this year.
Opener Pratika Rawal has been ruled out with a knee injury; Priya Punia has been called up as cover.
Five England players — Alice Capsey , Eleanor Threlkeld , Grace Potts , Mady Villiers , and Tilly Corteen-Coleman — are in line for maiden Test caps.
Lord's Cricket Ground in London is set to make history on Friday, 11 July 2025, hosting its first-ever women's Test match as England and India meet in a one-off red-ball contest beginning at 3:30 PM IST. The landmark fixture has drawn over 30,000 ticket sales across four days — the highest attendance ever recorded for a women's Test in the United Kingdom.
More than 140 years after Lord's staged its first men's Test, the women's game finally arrives at the self-styled 'Home of Cricket'. The occasion carries weight beyond the scoreboard: an independent review into equity in English cricket, published less than three years ago, had specifically criticised the absence of women's Test cricket at this ground.
Why This Match Matters
The fixture arrives at a pivotal moment for both sides. England, captained by Nat Sciver-Brunt, have managed only one Test victory in the past decade and suffered a comprehensive defeat to Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground earlier this year. Memories of falling short in the T20 World Cup final on home soil add to the sense of a team searching for a reset in the longer format.
India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, arrive after their own sobering T20 World Cup campaign, which ended at the group stage. Yet their red-ball credentials are strong: a commanding victory over South Africa in Chennai in 2024 underlined their ability in the format, before Australia ended their unbeaten run in a pink-ball Test at Perth.
India's Unbeaten Record in England
History is firmly on India's side at this venue. The visitors remain unbeaten in all nine previous women's Tests played in England, and their overall record against England is equally formidable — just one defeat in 15 Tests, with three victories and the rest drawn.
One of those wins stands as a landmark in its own right. India's triumph at Wormsley in 2014, achieved with a squad featuring eight Test debutants — including a young Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur — ended an eight-year absence from the format. A decade on, India reinforced their authority with a crushing 347-run victory over England in Navi Mumbai.
Squad News and Selection Battles
England have used the occasion to inject youth into their red-ball setup, handing maiden Test call-ups to Alice Capsey, Eleanor Threlkeld, Grace Potts, Mady Villiers, and teenage left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman. Experienced white-ball spinner Charlie Dean has been rested after an extended schedule. The hosts' experienced core — Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Maia Bouchier, and world-class spinner Sophie Ecclestone — gives England a settled spine despite the fresh faces.
India's preparations have been disrupted by a knee injury to opener Pratika Rawal, sustained during an India A fixture in Taunton. Priya Punia has been drafted into the squad as cover. Competition for batting places is intense, with Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia, and Harleen Deol all vying for starting spots. The bowling combination is equally open, with head coach Amol Muzumdar weighing options across Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, and debutant contender Nandani Sharma. Seam-bowling all-rounder Sayali Satghare, who made her international breakthrough earlier this year, strengthens India's case for a balanced attack.
Conditions, Key Matchups, and Broadcast Details
England's pace duo of Lauren Filer and Issy Wong could be decisive if the Lord's surface offers early movement, as it often does. India will look to their spinners — particularly Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana — to exert pressure as the match develops. The contest between Sophie Ecclestone and India's top order, and between India's seamers and England's inexperienced middle order, could define the outcome.
The match will be broadcast on Sony Sports Network channels and live-streamed on the SonyLiv app. As Lord's opens its gates to women's Test cricket for the first time, both teams have the chance to write a new chapter in one of the sport's oldest and most storied rivalries.
Squads:
England: Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Grace Potts, Ellie Threlkeld, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong.
India: Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Sneh Rana, Sayali Satghare, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani.
Point of View
But the fixture also exposes how little red-ball cricket both sides have played — England with one win in a decade, India with only sporadic appearances in the format. Five England debutants in a one-off Test is a bold call that prioritises future depth over present winning intent, which raises a legitimate question about how seriously the result is being chased. India's unbeaten record in England is a genuine statistical edge, but their preparation has been disrupted and their batting order unsettled. The real story here is whether a single landmark match can sustain the momentum needed to put women's Test cricket on a regular calendar — or whether it remains a ceremonial gesture between World Cups.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the England vs India women's Test being played?
The one-off women's Test between England and India begins on Friday, 11 July 2025, at Lord's Cricket Ground in London, with the start time set at 3:30 PM IST. It is the first women's Test ever staged at Lord's.
Why is this women's Test at Lord's considered historic?
Lord's is hosting a women's Test for the first time in its history, more than 140 years after the ground staged its first men's Test. An independent review into equity in English cricket had previously criticised the absence of women's Test cricket at the venue, making the fixture both symbolic and competitive.
What is India's record in women's Tests against England?
India are unbeaten in all nine previous women's Tests played in England and have lost just one of 15 Tests against England overall, recording three victories and drawing the rest. Their most recent series win over England came with a 347-run victory in Navi Mumbai.
Who are the new faces in England and India's squads for this Test?
England have handed maiden Test call-ups to Alice Capsey, Eleanor Threlkeld, Grace Potts, Mady Villiers, and teenage left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman. For India, Harleen Deol, N Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma, and Sayali Satghare are all potential debutants.
Where can fans watch the England vs India women's Test live?
The match will be broadcast on Sony Sports Network channels in India and live-streamed on the SonyLiv app. The Test begins at 3:30 PM IST on Friday, 11 July 2025.
