The return of the ICC Champions Trophy after nearly eight years will mark the beginning of 2025, but that 50-over tournament won’t be the only item on India’s agenda. A five-match Test series of England in the summer lies in wait where India will be seriously challenged, especially because of the brand of cricket England have embraced in the last couple of years which has been immortalised as Bazball, after their mercurial coach Brendon McCullum.

The Champions Trophy was last played in England in 2017 when India were well beaten by Pakistan in the final at The Oval. This year’s edition was to have been staged in Pakistan, but will be played on a hybrid model with India’s matches scheduled for Dubai after the Indian government refused the national team permission to travel across the border.