With India gearing up for their high-profile five-match Test series against England starting June 20 at Headingley, legendary South African pacer Dale Steyn has made an audacious prediction that has sparked discussions in cricketing circles. Speaking on JioHotstar, Steyn forecasted a fiercely competitive series, with every Test producing a result and England narrowly clinching it 3-2.
“All five Tests will be close, but each one will produce a result,” Dale Steyn asserted. “There won’t be a dominant team throughout; it’ll go back and forth. I see England just edging it 3-2.”
This series isn’t just another chapter in the historic India-England rivalry — it also marks a turning point for Indian Test cricket. For the first time in over a decade, the team will be without stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, all of whom retired from Tests recently, ushering in a new era.
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Shubman Gill will lead India for the first time in a full Test series, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. While Gill’s leadership potential has been widely discussed, the challenge he faces is immense. Not only is he taking over in transition, but he also has to do it in England — a venue that has historically been a tough hunting ground for India. In 19 tours, India has managed only three series wins in England, with 14 losses and two draws.
England, on the other hand, has been a dominant force at home, especially under coach Brendon McCullum. Since his appointment, they’ve won 15 of their 20 home Tests — a staggering 75% success rate. It’s this recent dominance that bolsters Steyn’s confidence in England edging the series.
Steyn, who continues to closely follow the World Test Championship (WTC), also touched upon South Africa’s recent triumph over Australia in the WTC final. Drawing parallels, he praised the Proteas’ consistency and mentality.
“Winning seven consecutive Tests to reach the final, and then beating a powerhouse like Australia — that’s massive,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who you play — winning even one Test is hard. So to string together seven wins and then take down the defending champions shows incredible resolve.”
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South Africa’s commanding victory ended any debates about their spot in the final. Steyn acknowledged the magnitude of that feat, especially against cricketing giants like Australia and earlier wins against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“These are heavyweight contests,” he said. “Beating a team like Australia in a final — that’s one of the biggest challenges in Test cricket. South Africa proved they were up for it.”
