England are set to kick off their summer at home with a three-match Test series against New Zealand, with the opening encounter scheduled to start at Lord’s on Thursday. The tour forms part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle, arriving at a pivotal moment for both teams as they look to build momentum in the longer format.
For England, the series follows a challenging Ashes campaign in Australia, where criticism followed their defeat. Despite the scrutiny, the leadership structure has not been shaken: Rob Key remains director of cricket, Brendon McCullum continues as head coach, and Ben Stokes stays on as captain as England aim to move forward from the setback.
Since the Ashes, England have introduced multiple adjustments. That includes the return of a team curfew and the addition of further support staff. One notable appointment is Sarah Taylor, a former wicketkeeper, who has taken up the role of fielding coach and becomes the first woman to coach England’s men’s Test team.
England can also draw reassurance from a similar turning point in 2022. After losing the Ashes 4–0 in Australia and then going down in the West Indies with a 1–0 series result, Joe Root stepped down as captain. McCullum took over, and England responded strongly by defeating New Zealand 3–0. During that New Zealand series, England produced fourth-innings chases of 279, 299 and 296 in consecutive games.
New Zealand, meanwhile, appear ready to field Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke together as part of a full-strength pace unit for the first time in Test cricket. Jamieson is listed at 2.07 metres (6ft 8in), while O’Rourke stands at 1.97 metres (6ft 4in). The two have previously shared the new-ball duties for Canterbury and have also played together in one-day internationals.
Both fast bowlers are returning after back-related injury lay-offs. Jamieson’s most recent Test appearance came in February 2024, while O’Rourke made an immediate impact on debut against South Africa by taking nine wickets before injury ended his run. Since then, O’Rourke has not played a Test match, with his last outing dating back to July 2025.
There is also ongoing talk that the series could mark Kane Williamson’s last tour of England. The 35-year-old withdrew from a New Zealand central contract in 2024, and has since been communicating his availability on a series-by-series basis rather than under a standing agreement.
Williamson is roughly 500 runs short of reaching 10,000 Test runs. He has also confirmed that this will be his fifth and final Test appearance at Lord’s, where he has yet to experience a winning result in the match.
England vs New Zealand Test series schedule
- 1st Test: June 4–8, Lord’s, London — 3:30 PM IST
- 2nd Test: June 17–21, The Oval, London — 3:30 PM IST
- 3rd Test: June 25–29, Trent Bridge, Nottingham — 3:30 PM IST
Match timing
The opening Test begins at 3:30 PM IST on Thursday, with the toss set for 3:00 PM IST.
Where to watch in India
The England–New Zealand Test series will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available through the SonyLIV app and website.
