What’s in Store For Stokes And Co in The New Cycle Of The WTC 2025-27?

England’s Red-Ball Cricket Calendar for 2025–2027 WTC

England will play a total of six red-ball series in the WTC 2025-27 cycle, including high-profile tours against India, Australia and South Africa. Here is the full Test schedule with home and away matches for England's campaign.

England Will Start Their WTC 2025 To 2027 Cycle In The Five Match Red Ball Series Versus India

England’s Ben Stokes will compete against India’s Shubman Gill in the upcoming five match series of the red ball form of the game. The first Test of this five match series will be played at Leeds from tomorrow, Friday, 20th June 2025. This series will be played with a new name as well. From 2025, the 5 match red ball series between India and England will be known as Anderson Tendulkar Trophy.

• 1st Test at Leeds From Friday, 20th June 2025 to Tuesday, 24th June 2025

• 2nd Test Match at Birmingham from Wednesday, 2nd July 2025 to Sunday, 6th July 2025

• 3rd Test Match at Lords from Thursday, 10th July 2025 to Monday, 14th July 2025

• 4th Test Match at Manchester from Wednesday, 23rd July 2025 to Sunday, 27th July 2025

• 5th Test Match at Kennington Oval from Thursday, 31st July 2025 to Monday, 4th August 2025.

The timings for this five match series is – 3.30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST), 10 AM GMT and 11 AM Local.

In the pervious series between the two sides, England and India, the Men in Blue under the leadership of King Kohli had a lead of 2-1. India had the momentum to win that series. However the last red ball game was postponed because of Corona Virus threat. But many fans also think that the last Test was cancelled because Team India wanted to play the IPL 2021 edition which was restarted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). England won that last match of this five match series and that’s why India’s search of winning a Test series in England after 2007 is still on as the 2021/2022 Test series was equalled to two all.

Australia vs England: The Ashes Rivalry Resumes in 2025

Ben Stokes and his men will tour the Aussie nation later this year for the five match red ball series as The Ashes rivalry resumes in 2025. This tour to Australia will be the first one for England in the captaincy of Ben Stokes. Australia had drew the series twice in a row in England during the 2019 and 2023 Ashes series. But now Cummins and his men would want to continue their dominance at home against the visiting teams. The Ashes 2025 series will start from 21st November 2025 at Perth and end on 8th January 2026 at Sydney.

• 1st Test Match at Optus Stadium in Perth from Friday, 21st November 2025 to Tuesday, 25th November 2025. This game will start at 8 AM Indian Standard Time, 2.30 AM GMT and 10.30 AM Local.

• 2nd Test Match will be played at The Gabba in Brisbane from Thursday, 4th December 2025 to Monday, 8th December 2025. Timings – 9.30 AM Indian Standard Time, 4 AM GMT and 2 PM Local.

• 3rd Test Match will be played at Adeliade Oval in Adelaide from Wednesday, 17th December 2025 to Sunday, 21st December 2025. Timings – 5.30 IST, 12 AM GMT and 10.30 Local.

• 4th Test Match: The Boxing Day Test will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from Friday, 26th December 2025 to Tuesday, 30th December 2025. Timings – 5.30 IST, 12 AM GMT and 11 Local.

• 5th and the Last Test Match will be played at Sydney Cricket Ground from Sunday, 4th January 2025 to Thursday, 8th January 2025. Timings – 5.30 IST, 12 AM GMT and 11 Local.

England Will Face The Kiwis In Their Next Home Summer Of 2026

England and New Zealand will have a face off in a three match series when the Kiwis will travel to England in June 2026. The home summer of England will start from this series. But the details like timings, venues and dates of this three match series of the red ball form of the game is yet ti be announced by both the cricket boards.

Ben Stokes and his men are also scheduled to play a red ball format series versus the Men in Green next year of 2026 at home and they will also tour Bangladesh and South Africa as well in 2026 and 2027. The updates of those series are not yet out. We shall inform our audience once the full schedule of those series are out.

Pakistan Tour Of England, 2026

Pakistan will be touring England in August 2026. Given that this cycle will comprise a five-match Ashes series in Australia, the Ben Stokes-led unit would be raring to leave no stones unturned in their home tests. Thanks to the overhead conditions in the country and Pakistan’s ability to churn out great pacers at will has meant that they have performed superbly in the country. Although since winning three times in a row from 1987 to 1996, Pakistan has not managed to win another series. In the last three series between the two sides in England, two have resulted in a draw, while the hosts won in 2020. This will be the first time in six years that Pakistan will tour England. A lot has changed since then, and the quality of the Pakistani pace attack has certainly dwindled over the years.

The three-match test series is expected to be played out in August 2026 in the peak of the English summer. 

England Tour Of South Africa, 2026

England will tour the current WTC Champions for another three-match series. It is expected to be a cracker of a series, given that the two teams are pretty strong. Since the turn of the century, the visitors have been pretty exceptional in South Africa. In the last four series in the Rainbow Nation, England have won thrice while drawing once. Given that South Africa has bouncy pitches similar to Australia, England would be prepared much better for the challenge. 

The three-match series will be played during the heart of the South African summer in December 2026.

England Tour Of Bangladesh, 2027

England will end their WTC Cycle on a rather easier note. They will play out a two-match series against Bangladesh. However, it can be a tricky challenge given that Bangladesh can provide some challenges to the Bazball batting unit. The English team and their struggles against spin have been well-documented over the past few years. Therefore, a two-match test series without a single blemish could push the Ben Stokes-led unit to reach their first WTC Final.

The two matches in Bangladesh would be played during February in 2027.