India and England have a long-standing rivalry in Test cricket, dating back to 1932. As of June 19, 2025, out of 136 Test matches played between the two nations, India has won 35, while England has won 51, with 50 matches ending in a draw. When considering matches played specifically in England, India has secured victory in 9 Tests and suffered defeat in 36, with 22 ending in draws. India's first Test win in England was in 1971. The most recent victory was in 2021.

So far, India has won 3 Test series in England. Here's a list of the Indian captains who have led their teams to Test series victories on English soil:

1. Ajit Wadekar (1971): Ajit Wadekar led India to their first-ever Test series win in England in 1971. In that series, India won one match and drew two. The pivotal moment came in the Oval Test, where Bhagwath Chandrasekhar's six-wicket haul secured a historic 1-0 series victory.
2. Kapil Dev (1986): Kapil Dev captained the Indian side that clinched the 1986 Test series in England. India won the first two matches at Lord's and Headingley and drew the third. Kapil Dev's contributions as a player were also significant, marking a memorable series win.
3. Rahul Dravid (2007): Rahul Dravid was the captain when India last won a Test series in England in 2007. The team won the second Test at Trent Bridge and drew the other two matches to secure a 1-0 series victory.

While other captains have led India to individual Test victories in England, these three are the only ones to have won a Test series there. Some other notable performances by Indian captains in England include:

• Sourav Ganguly: He led India to a win in the 2002 Leeds Test.
• MS Dhoni: He secured a memorable win at Lord's in 2014 after 28 years at the historic venue.
• Virat Kohli: He has the most Test wins as an Indian captain in England, with three victories (one in 2018 and two in 2021).

The upcoming five-match Test series in England, commencing on June 20, 2025, marks the start of a new World Test Championship cycle. Shubman Gill will captain a relatively young Indian team. It remains to be seen whether Gill can lead the team to add another chapter to India's Test history in England.