England’s first Test against India will be their 1,000th in all since facing Australia in the first ever Test in 1877.

The Three Lions have 357 wins to their name in that time, with 297 defeats and 345 draws.

Here, Press Association Sport takes a detailed look at England’s Test record.

Opposition

England's Test win percentage by opposition
(PA Graphic)

England have played Tests against nine different opponents – Australia, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

Their best winning records, perhaps unsurprisingly, have come against Bangladesh (nine out of 10) and Zimbabwe (played six, won three and drawn three).

The next best is against New Zealand (46.6 per cent) while their 36.8 per cent win rate against upcoming opponents India is in the middle of the pack, just ahead of their 31.2 per cent against old foes Australia.

Pakistan have proved England’s toughest opponents, with just 25 wins in 81 meetings (30.1 per cent).

Era

England celebrate winning the 2009 Ashes
England’s results have improved since the turn of the century (Gareth Copley/PA)

England’s win percentage dropped from 41.2 in 243 Tests before the second World War to 34 per cent in 756 post-war matches.

In an encouraging return to form, the 2000s was their best decade by winning percentage (42.6) since the 1950s (47 per cent), and they have surpassed that mark again since 2010 with a 43.4 per cent win rate up to the start of the India series.

England’s most successful decade ever was the 1910s, when they won two thirds of their 21 Tests.

Captains

WG Grace
WG Grace has the best win percentage of any England captain (PA)

Alastair Cook captained England in more Tests than any other player, 59, with Michael Atherton, Michael Vaughan and Andrew Strauss also reaching 50 games in charge.

Vaughan had the best win rate of the quartet at 51 per cent, including leading England to their memorable 2005 Ashes win over Australia.

Five men managed a win rate of 50 per cent or better in at least 10 Tests as skipper, with the best mark belonging to WG Grace at 61.5 per cent (eight out of 13).

  • Most runs: AN Cook 12,145
  • Best batting average: H Sutcliffe 60.73
  • Best innings: L Hutton 364 v Australia, August 1938
  • Most hundreds: AN Cook 32
  • Most wickets: JM Anderson 540
  • Best bowling average: GA Lohmann 10.75
  • Best innings figures: JC Laker 10 for 53 v Australia, July 1956
  • Best match figures: JC Laker 19 for 80 v Australia, July 1956
  • Most five-wicket innings: IT Botham 27
  • Most 10-wicket matches: SF Barnes 7

Batting

Alastair Cook celebrates a century against Australia
Alastair Cook is England’s most prolific run-maker (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Cook’s record 12,145 Test runs for England is more than 3,000 clear of second-placed Graham Gooch (8,900), and he also has comfortably the most Test centuries – nine clear on 32.

Twenty-two players have scored over 5,000 Test runs for England while 48 have averaged 40 or above, with nine breaking the 50 barrier.

England batsmen have made 856 centuries, including 57 double-hundreds and five triples – Len Hutton against Australia in 1938, Wally Hammond against New Zealand in 1933, Gooch against India in 1990, Andy Sandham against the West Indies in 1930 and John Edrich against New Zealand in 1965.

Bowling

Anderson and Broad head England's list of wicket-takers
(PA Graphic)

James Anderson and Stuart Broad lead the way in terms of wickets for England with 540 and 417 respectively.

Ian Botham (383), Bob Willis (325) and Fred Trueman (307) are the other players to break the 300 barrier with England’s all-time leading spinner, Derek Underwood, just outside at 297. Fifteen players in all have taken 200 or more, with 46 reaching three figures.

With a cut-off of at least 2,000 balls bowled, 24 players have bowling averages under 25 and eight have broken under 20, led by George Lohmann with 112 wickets at 10.75 between 1886 and 1896. Anderson’s 27.23 is the best average in the current squad.