June 24, 2025
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India vs England

India, England to now play for the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, legends to unveil silverware on…

India, England to now play for the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, legends to unveil silverware on…

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England and India will no longer be playing for the Pataudi Trophy. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and BCCI have decided to rename the trophy after James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar. According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, the two legends will unveil the new piece of silverware during the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa at the Lord’s Cricket Ground on June 11. England and India to now play for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. (Getty Images) England and India will play each other in a five-Test series, beginning June 20 in Leeds, Headingley. The contest will mark the beginning of a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Until now, the Test series played between England and India was called the Pataudi Trophy. It was named after former India captains Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (his son). The equivalent in India was called the Anthony de Mello Trophy. The Anthony de Mello Trophy was named after one of BCCI’s founding figures, who also served as the board’s inaugural secretary and president from 1946-47 to 1950-51. James Anderson is England’s leading wicket-taker in Tests. He is also the most successful pacer in the longest format with 704 wickets to his name. The right-arm speedster had announced his retirement last year. On the other hand, Sachin Tendulkar is the leading run-scorer in Tests, with 15,921 runs to his name. The 52-year-old played 200 Tests in a 24-year-long career, spanning from 1989 to 2013. Recently, the Crowe-Thorpe trophy was also unveiled in November 2024. This silverware goes to the winner of the Test series between England and New Zealand.  Sunil Gavaskar not happy with renaming of the Pataudi Trophy Earlier, Sunil Gavaskar minced no words as he expressed his displeasure with the authorities deciding to rename the Pataudi Trophy. Also Read: Gavaskar tells Indian cricketers to reject ECB’s offer after Pataudi Trophy retired He had urged the Indian cricketers to decline ECB’s request to have their names on the silverware if they are contacted. “It shows a total lack of sensitivity to the contribution made by the Pataudis to cricket in both England and India. There may well be a new trophy named after more recent players, and here’s hoping that if an Indian player has been approached, he will have the good sense to politely decline — not only out of respect for two former India captains but also to avoid the same fate of having a trophy named after him retired after he is gone,” Gavaskar wrote in a column for Sportstar. “I, along with loads of Indian cricket supporters, fervently hope that any other Indian cricketer will have the smarts to decline, lest history repeats itself as it has with the Pataudi Trophy,” he added.

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Rohit Sharma addresses Test cricket for the first time since retirement: ‘My father was disappointed’

Rohit Sharma addresses Test cricket for the first time since retirement: ‘My father was disappointed’

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Rohit Sharma revealed that his father, Gurunath Sharma, was disappointed with his decision to retire from Tests. Speaking for the first time publicly about the longest format of the game after his retirement, the 38-year-old stated that his father has been a long-time admirer of the toughest format and doesn’t like “new-age” cricket. Rohit Sharma spoke about Test cricket for the first time after announcing his retirement(AFP) Rohit, who was most recently seen in the Mumbai Indians colours in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, retired from Tests in May 2025, just days before the squad announcement for the England tour. The right-hander was in dismal form in the series against New Zealand and Australia, unable to buy a run. The situation got so bad Down Under that he even had to stand out from the last Test in Sydney. However, at that time, Rohit stated that he was “going nowhere.” “My father worked in a transport company. Like I said, what my mom did, my father was very much involved in sacrificing things so that we could have our life. But my father always, since day one, has been a fan of Test cricket. He doesn’t like this new-age cricket. I still remember that day I scored 264 in the ODI. He was like, okay, well played. Well done. There was no excitement from him. It’s important to go out there and all that,” Rohit said at the launch of Cheteshwar Pujara’s wife Puja Pujara’s book ‘The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife’ in Mumbai.  “But even if I used to get good 30s or 40s or 50s or 60s, in Test cricket used to talk to me about it in detail. So that’s the kind of love he had for the game. And he’s obviously seen you go up the ranks,” he added.  ‘My father appreciates red-ball cricket’ Rohit Sharma called time on his Test career, having played 67 matches, scoring 4301 runs at an average of 40.57. The Indian ODI captain had a stop-start theme going on for the bulk of his Test career, however, the situation changed drastically when the Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli management asked him to open the batting in 2019. Also Read: ‘Did Virat Kohli cook Rohit Sharma?’: RCB great’s bold ‘Impact Player’ stance after IPL 2025 win stirs the internet Ever since then, Rohit became a regular in the playing XI, and eventually, he replaced Virat Kohli as the captain in 2022 when the latter decided to step down. “You play in school cricket. Then you play U19, the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy, the Irani Trophy, and India A. And I’ve done all of that. So he has seen my journey through that. And through this, I’ve made it to the Indian team,” said Rohit.  “My father has seen me playing a lot of cricket with red ball, obviously. So he appreciates red ball cricket a lot. And then, obviously, he was a little disappointed when I announced my retirement. But was happy as well at the same time. But, yeah, that’s my father. And he has obviously played a huge role in wherever I am today. Without their help, it never would have been possible,” he added. Earlier, Rohit Sharma confirmed his Test retirement via an Instagram Story. “Hello everyone, I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support for all these years. I will continue to represent India in ODIs,” Rohit had stated. In his Test career, Rohit smashed 12 centuries and 18 fifties. He even led India to a World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2023. However, the side lost the final against Australia. 

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Virat Kohli retired from Tests due to realisation that 'he can no longer summon mental clarity': 'Doubt disrupts'

Virat Kohli retired from Tests due to realisation that ‘he can no longer summon mental clarity’: ‘Doubt disrupts’

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Star India batter Virat Kohli shocked the world when he announced his retirement from Tests in May 2025. The right-hander called time on his Test career, having played 123 Tests in which he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries. The decision to walk away from the longest format raised eyebrows as India are all set to tour England for an all-important five-Test series. Kohli has been out-of-form in the longest format for the last few years, but many felt India needed his experience in the UK. Greg Chappell says Kohli retired from Tests because of a breakdown in mental clarity (BCCI) Former Australia batter Greg Chappell feels Kohli retired from Tests due to the toll the game has taken on him mentally. He feels the 36-year-old decided to walk away because he had lost the mental clarity required to succeed at the highest level.  Over the last five years, Kohli scored just four Test centuries, and his dismal form resulted in his average falling from 55 to almost 46. The former India captain averaged just a tad above 30 in the longest format of the game.  “Kohli, once the embodiment of intensity and technical assurance, recently stepped away from Test cricket. His decision was not born of diminished skill, but from the growing realisation that he could no longer summon the mental clarity that had once made him so formidable. He accepted that, at the highest level, unless the mind is sharp and decisive, the body falters,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo. Also Read: ‘Virat Kohli waited only 18 years. Tendulkar’s wait was even longer’: Sehwag draws 2011 WC parallel with RCB’s IPL title “When doubt begins to settle in the bones, it disrupts decision-making, impairs footwork, and erodes the spontaneity essential to elite performance. Kohli’s retirement is a reminder that form is more a function of the mind than it is of mechanics,” Chapell added. Kohli’s horrendous run in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Virat Kohli last represented India in whites in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where Rohit Sharma and co lost 1-3. Kohli started the series well with a century in the Perth Test. However, after the ton in the series opener, it all went downhill for the star batter, who finished with just 190 runs in 9 innings.  All of his eight dismissals happened in a similar fashion as he kept nicking deliveries bowled well outside of his off-stump. Kohli’s numbers in the series would have looked all the more abysmal had he not scored a century in Perth.  Kohli then also played the Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Railways, following the BCCI’s diktat. With him turning up for domestic cricket, everyone expected Kohli to board the flight to the UK for the five-match series against England.  However, just days ahead of the squad announcement, Kohli called time on his Test career. Days before Kohli’s decision, even Rohit Sharma had retired from Test cricket. Now India will be without their two most senior batters in the longest format of the game. 

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Shubman Gill shows first sign of bold captaincy in addressing Kohli, Rohit's Test exit: 'No different pressure'

Shubman Gill shows first sign of bold captaincy in addressing Kohli, Rohit’s Test exit: ‘No different pressure’

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Jun 05, 2025 11:06 PM IST Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket last month While the world will still have to wait for another fortnight to get a true glimpse of Shubman Gill’s captaincy in Test cricket, with the India star set to become the youngest leader of the team in this century, come the Test series against England, the 25-year-old gave the first sign of his bold leadership when he addressed the sudden retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma before the tour. Indian cricket captain Shubman Gill addresses a pre-departure presser at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters in Mumbai on June 5, 2025, ahead of India’s tour of England for Test series(AFP) Less than a month before the Indian team’s departure for the tour of England, Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket via Instagram. Just five days later, Kohli did the same. The back-to-back announcements left an air of uncertainty around the strength of the Indian team, especially before the crucial series against England. However, Gill boldly dismissed questions about any pressure on the young Indian team in the absence of the two stalwarts, saying it was just like any tough situation they had faced before. “Pressure is always there in every tour. Definitely, two very experienced players who played for such a long time and won so many times, very difficult to fill their space. But it is not a different kind of pressure, all of us players are used to it,” he said in the pre-tour presser on Wednesday. India will have experienced players in KL Rahul, returning Karun Nair, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and of course, Jasprit Bumrah. Gill also opened up about the kind of captain he wanted to be, saying that he wanted to make players feel secure during his tenure through communication. “No particular style that I want to follow. I like communication with the players, making them feel secure. Making a bond with the players is very important for me as a captain. It is only when players are secure that they will give you their 100 percent,” he said. The England series will begin on June 20 at the Headingley. News / Cricket News / Shubman Gill shows first sign of bold captaincy in addressing Kohli, Rohit’s Test exit: ‘No different pressure’ See Less

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IND vs ENG: Will Jasprit Bumrah play all five Tests? Gautam Gambhir drops major hint ahead of England tour | Cricket News

IND vs ENG: Will Jasprit Bumrah play all five Tests? Gautam Gambhir drops major hint ahead of England tour | Cricket News

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Gautam Gambhir (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: How many matches will Jasprit Bumrah play in the India vs England Test series? Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday provided a key update on Bumrah’s availability ahead of the much-anticipated five-match Test series in England, which begins on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.“We haven’t taken the call on which 3 games he will play. We will have a discussion with him and depending on the series and results and how the series is heading. I am sure he is very well aware of as well,” Gambhir said.“It is difficult to replace someone like Bumrah but we have enough quality. Like I said in the Champions Trophy, it gives an opportunity to another player to put their hands up,” he added.India enter the series under the leadership of new Test captain Shubman Gill, who has taken over the reins following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from red-ball cricket.The England tour marks the beginning of India’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The five-Test series will be played at historic venues — Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval — between June and August. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win This series not only marks a major overseas assignment but also the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket. As Shubman Gill embarks on his captaincy journey, he carries the legacy of past greats, along with the expectations and hopes of a promising future.India Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep YadavEngland Squad: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris WoakesTest series schedule:1st Test: June 20–24, 2025 – Headingley, Leeds2nd Test: July 2–6, 2025 – Edgbaston, Birmingham3rd Test: July 10–14, 2025 – Lord’s, London4th Test: July 23–27, 2025 – Old Trafford, Manchester5th Test: July 31–August 4, 2025 – The Oval, London

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'Cannot lose 11 people': Gautam Gambhir makes a strong statement on Bengaluru stampede, RCB celebrations | Cricket News

‘Cannot lose 11 people’: Gautam Gambhir makes a strong statement on Bengaluru stampede, RCB celebrations | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir made a strong statement on the tragic stampede in Bengaluru that occurred during RCB’s IPL 2025 victory celebrations. The incident resulted in the loss of several lives and left many others injured. Gambhir, along with newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill, addressed the media in Mumbai ahead of the team’s departure for England for a five-match Test series.“I was never a believer of road shows. I had the same statement to make even after winning in 2007, we should never have roadshows. Maybe in the future we can do something in a stadium. My heart goes to the families of those who lost their lives,” Gambhir said.“All I can say is, we need to be responsible. Every life matters. If we are not ready to hold a road show, we should not do that. You cannot at any point of time lose 11 people,” he added.Shubman Gill was named the new captain of the Indian Test team, a decision officially announced by the BCCI during the squad unveiling for the upcoming England tour, set to begin on June 20. RCB Victory Parade: At least 8 Dead, Several Injured In Stampede Outside Bengaluru Stadium India’s tour of England also marks the start of their ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 campaign, with the five-Test series scheduled at iconic venues: Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.This series represents more than just another overseas assignment—it signals the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket. As Gill takes charge, he not only inherits the legacy left behind by stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R. Ashwin but also carries the promise of a fresh chapter for the team. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy India Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep YadavEngland Squad: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris WoakesTest series schedule:1st Test: England v India, 20-24 June 2025, Headingley, Leeds2nd Test: England v India, 2-6 July 2025, Edgbaston, Birmingham3rd Test: England v India, 10-14 July 2025, Lord’s, London4th Test: England v India, 23-27 July 2025, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester5th Test: England v India, 31 July-4 August 2025, Kia Oval, London

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Shubman Gill's 'Sehwag-like game' a chink in the armour as Ponting warns of fresh 'challenge': He needs to bat at...

Shubman Gill’s ‘Sehwag-like game’ a chink in the armour as Ponting warns of fresh ‘challenge’: He needs to bat at…

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Despite comparing India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill, to the legendary Virender Sehwag, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting outlined that a similar approach is likely to meet a fresh challenge in the upcoming tour of England, and hence has work to do on his Test match batting. The Aussie great also called for a change in his batting position, considering the added responsibility of captaincy. Shubman Gill will be leading India in the England Test series(AFP) Speaking to PTI, Ponting addressed Gill’s much-criticised defensive technique, which has cost the youngster multiple times in his short career thus far. And although he sees no technical flaw in his approach, he reckoned Gill has to work on the mental side of Test match batting. “It’s a bit both. There are some of the great Test players that haven’t had great defensive games, and (Virender) Sehwag is probably a great example of that. But if you’re in control of your stroke-play, you don’t have to worry too much about your defence. I mean, obviously it’s (defence) a big part of Test match cricket, but I think it’s more his mental application,” he explained. “(But) I think sometimes you might just get a little bit either ahead of himself or a little bit lazy in the middle of a test match innings. You can’t afford to do that. You’ve got to be 100 per cent committed to every ball that you face through six or seven hours of every day…I think that’s the challenge for Shubman.” Gill to replace Virat Kohli at No. 4? The biggest question since Kohli’s departure from Test cricket last month was who would replace the former India captain at No. 4 in the line-up. Ponting backed Gill for the role, at least for the initial phase of his leadership tenure, which will begin on June 20 in Leeds with the five-match Test series against the Ben Stokes-led side. “…the reason I did that was if they go with (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, and if Sai Sudarshan is the other opener, they need someone a bit more experienced at number three. So that could be either, KL at three, or that could be a Karun Nair at three and Shubman at four. “…once you grow into it, then you can move yourself back up to that number three spot,” said one of the finest batters of his generation.

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Hindustan Times News

Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill PC Highlights: GG not a big fan of road shows; skipper talks about Kohli-Rohit retirements

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Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference: Follow Latest Updates Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Highlights: Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill faced a flurry of questions, addressing key topics such as team composition, the sudden retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and the tragic stampede incident in Bengaluru. Shubman admitted that it is going to be a tough job to fill the big shoes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but asserted they have picked a balanced combination to get the job done on the England tour. Meanwhile, Gambhir blasted the road show after their IPL triumph, which led to a stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, and 11 people lost their lives. A new era in Indian Test cricket is all set to begin after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from red-ball cricket. With the two stalwarts out of the red-ball set-up, Shubman Gill has been named the new skipper of the longest format, and after taking over the charge, he will be addressing the media for the first time on Thursday evening. The new Test captain will be accompanied by head coach Gautam Gambhir in a pre-departure press conference that has been organised before the team leaves for England to play the five-match Test series.…Read More The big tour will also kickstart India’s next World Test Championship Cycle, where they will be without the likes of Kohli, Rohit and Ashwin, who were their backbone during the first three editions of WTC and helped them reach the final twice. Gill will be India’s fifth youngest Test captain after Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (21), Sachin Tendulkar (23), Kapil Dev (24) and Ravi Shastri (25). Since making his Test debut in 2020, Shubman Gill has featured in 32 matches, scoring 1893 runs at a modest average of 35, which includes five centuries and seven fifties as a top-order batter. In contrast, the 27-year-old Rishabh Pant, who is named Gill’s deputy, brings more experience to the table with 43 Tests to his name. Batting lower down the order, he has amassed 2948 runs at an impressive average of 42.11, with six hundreds and 15 half-centuries since his debut in 2018. Besides Gill, Bumrah was another strong contender for captaincy but the selectors decided to hand over the leadership responsibility to the batter from Punjab. There were also questions over Bumrah’s fitness and Agarkar acknowledged that the star pacer’s availability for the full series is a concern. India’s Squad for Test tour of England: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, K L Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhurv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep singh and Kuldeep Yadav.    Follow all the updates here: June 5, 2025 8:04 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gambhir undecided on Bumrah’s workload! Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gambhir asserted that the team management has not made a final call on which matches Bumrah will play, as he said, “We haven’t decided which three tests Bumrah will play, it depends on results and where the series is standing.”  June 5, 2025 7:46 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gambhir backs Nair! Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “We are not going to judge anybody from one or two matches.” Gambhir claims that they are going to give Karun Nair enough chances to showcase his talent after his incredible domestic season. June 5, 2025 7:45 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gill on leading from thefront!  Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “I want to lead by my performance, numbers are not what I look at,” said Shubman Gill. June 5, 2025 7:43 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: GG not a fan of road shows! Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gambhir claims that he is not a fan of road shows and said everyone needs to be responsible, as he expressed his feelings on the Bengaluru stampede yesterday. Gambhir stated that human lives are more important than anything. “Was never a fan of having road shows. Didn’t like it when I was a player, don’t like it now as a coach. Lives of people are more important. Tragic what happened yesterday in Bengaluru and hope nothing happens in the future. We need to be more responsible as citizens”: Gambhir   June 5, 2025 7:40 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “I am always under pressure”: Gambhir Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “I am always under pressure irrespective of the result. I was under the pressure after the  New Zealand and Australia series and was feeling the same pressure even after winning the Champions Trophy,” Gambhir said. June 5, 2025 7:38 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Shubman opens up on his captaincy style Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “There is no particular style. With time and experience, my personal style will flourish. I prefer to have communication with the players regarding their strengths and weaknesses and help them out. It’s important for the captain to make sure players feel secure,” Shubman said on his captaincy style. June 5, 2025 7:36 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gambhir on Bumrah’s workload! Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “We have not taken any call on which three games he will play,” Gambhir said on Bumrah’s workload. June 5, 2025 7:35 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: Gill refuses to disclose batting order! Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press Conference Live Updates: “I was really overwhelmed when I was named captain. We have not really decided on the batting order yet. We have 10 days to make our plans,” Gill said. June 5, 2025 7:33 PM IST Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill Press…

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England name 14-man squad for first Test vs India, recall surprise pacer with just one cap after 3-year absence

England name 14-man squad for first Test vs India, recall surprise pacer with just one cap after 3-year absence

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England have announced a 14-member squad for the opening Test of the series against India, which begins June 20 at Headingley. Ben Stokes will lead the side, with Jamie Overton making a return to the Test team after nearly three years. Overton has played only one Test so far, with his sole appearance coming against New Zealand in 2022. Gus Atkinson was unavailable for selection due to a right hamstring injury sustained during the recent Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge England’s captain Ben Stokes (C) and his players prepare to start on the third day of the four day Test cricket match between England and Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in Nottingham(AFP) Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Overton, and Josh Tongue feature in the pace attack, with Shoaib Bashir included as the sole spinning option. Jacob Bethell also returns to the Test team after missing the one-off match against Zimbabwe last month. The 14-member squad included the top-3 of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope, who smashed brilliant centuries against Zimbabwe. Jamie Smith is expected to keep the wickets, retaining the role he played in the Zimbabwe Test. England squad: Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain, Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Sam Cook (Essex), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), and Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) The BCCI, meanwhile, had earlier announced an 18-member squad for the England Test tour, which featured a new Indian Test captain in Shubman Gill. With both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the format, the tour will mark the beginning of India’s generational transition; this will also be India’s first Test series without Ravichandran Ashwin, who had earlier called time on his international career during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Karun Nair made a return to the Indian Test squad after over eight years, and produced a brilliant performance during his outing for India A against England Lions last week. Nair hit a double century in the game, while Abhimanyu Easwaran, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Nitish Kumar Reddy – all part of the squad – smashed half-centuries in the second innings. Gautam Gambhir, the Indian head coach, and Gill will address the media in a pre-departure press conference on Wednesday. 

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‘Karun Nair gets 100, KL Rahul requests BCCI to…’: Gambhir handed ‘two gems’ ahead of England series

‘Karun Nair gets 100, KL Rahul requests BCCI to…’: Gambhir handed ‘two gems’ ahead of England series

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Former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who mentored Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, is mighty impressed with Karun Nair and KL Rahul ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series against England. Pietersen, who worked with both these batters at close quarters in the T20 competition, lauded the way both are preparing for the upcoming series, beginning June 20. Kevin Pietersen, who mentored Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025, is mighty impressed with Karun Nair and KL Rahul(PTI) Karun Nair vindicated the selectors’ call to include him in the main squad as he hit a century in the ongoing first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions in Canterbury. The right-handed batter, 33, made full use of some below-par bowling on a green surface, which offered some initial assistance for the pacers. Karun remained unbeaten on 186 on Day 1 of the first unofficial Test as he made a strong case for his inclusion in the playing XI for the first match of the five-Test series against England in Headingley. The right-hander was involved in an 181-run stand for the third wicket with Sarfaraz Khan. The latter missed out on a well-deserved century, but Karun piled the misery, and he found support in Dhruv Jurel. According to reports, KL Rahul has also requested that the BCCI fly him to the UK next week so that he can play the second Test between India A and England Lions. Also Read: Karun Nair makes dream start to England tour with century for India A Pietersen labelled Nair and Rahul as “two gems” of Indian cricket as he appreciated their efforts to prepare for the England tour. “Karun gets a 100 yesterday, and KL has asked BCCI to travel early to the UK to get extra practice in before Tests – 2 gems,” Pietersen wrote on X (formerly Twitter). KL Rahul to leave for the UK on Monday According to a report in the Times of India, KL Rahul will leave for the UK on Monday after being granted permission by the BCCI. Rahul was originally slated to leave alongside the rest of the Indian team on June 6. However, he decided to play the second India A Test against the England Lions after rain spoilt his preparation in Mumbai. KL Rahul had also played for India A before the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The opening batter will now be required to shoulder the responsibility of the batting order after the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rahul was one of India’s best batters in the series against Australia, which India lost 1-3. India will be led by Shubman Gill against England while Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy. India squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

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