
Oval Test weather report: Will rain affect playing conditions on Day 2?
Unlike yesterday, rain interruptions are unlikely in the first two sessions of play. The weather is expected to be chilly throughout the day, with temperatures hovering around 15–16 degrees Celsius. Rain is expected to fall in the final two hours of the match, which might force an early close to the day.
India managed to survive under challenging conditions on Day 1 of the fifth Test against England at the Oval as they finished the day on 204/6. Karun Nair led the charge with his sublime innings on a stop-start day for the visitors as rain continued to break their momentum in the first two sessions.For England, Gus Atkinson (2/31) and Josh Tongue (2/47) emerged as the top wicket takers as neither team could claim control of the match at stumps. Despite taking six wickets in the day, experts criticised England's bowlers, who they felt could've done more given the amount of movement available throughout the day.- EndsTune InMust Watch

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India Today
14 minutes ago
- India Today
Giants exit, heirs rise: India's NextGen batting stars hold the fort in England
In cricket, as in life, change rarely comes without a few uneasy questions. When Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli bid farewell to Test cricket within days of each other in May 2025, the uncertainty was palpable. Who would take over the mantle? Could the next generation handle the unforgiving conditions of England — swinging deliveries, overcast skies, relentless pressure?What followed over the course of a five-Test series will now go down in Indian cricket folklore — not just for its compelling competitiveness, but for the emergence of new batting giants who carried the torch forward with intent and once before had two Indian batters crossed 500 runs in a single Test series — the historic 1971 tour of the West Indies, when a young Sunil Gavaskar (774 runs) and Dilip Sardesai (642) changed Indian cricket forever. More than five decades later, that record stood, matched and then bettered — by Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja, in the very country where Indian batters have often struggled. At Old Trafford, Rahul (532 runs) joined the prolific first-time captain Gill (754 runs) in the elite club. At The Oval, Jadeja capped off his finest Test series with another half-century, adding to his Manchester hundred, to make it three Indians past the landmark. The baton was not merely passed — it was grabbed with both RISE OF CAPTAIN SHUBMAN GILLOn the path to greatness The Shubman Gill era is well and truly underway #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 2, 2025The pressure on Shubman Gill before the series was immense. New captain. No Kohli. No Rohit. No margin for error. There were whispers — was he just a flat-track bully? Could he handle the moving Dukes ball? Was he too young to lead?By the time the dust settled at The Oval, those whispers had been replaced by standing finished as the highest run-getter of the series — 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, including four centuries. His double hundred and ton in the same match at Edgbaston added up to 430 runs — a single-match tally that would place him seventh on the all-time series chart by itself. His 269 remains a new personal best, achieved just weeks after bettering his previous top became the first Asian batter to score over 700 runs in a SENA series, surpassing even Kohli's 692 in Australia (2014-15). Gill was, quite literally, India's heartbeat — aggressive when needed, patient when it mattered, and flawless in big who was picked for the honour by England head coach Brendon McCullum, said he was happy he was able to achieve the target he had set himself-to be the best batter in the series. 'The Prince took gentle strides towards being a King,' said one commentator. For Gill, it was a series that silenced the doubters — as captain, as batter, and as a RAHUL: THE NEW TORCHBEARERadvertisementIf Gill was the glowing centrepiece, KL Rahul was the unshakable pillar around no musical chairs to worry about — no middle-order stints or wicketkeeping duties — Rahul returned as India's senior-most batter and nailed his role as Test opener. He scored 532 runs at 53.20, with two centuries and two fifties, often laying the foundation for India's big Rahul crafts a classy ton in testing conditions #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 23, 2025More than the numbers, it was the context of those runs that mattered. Rahul's innings came in moments of crisis — when collapses loomed, when England's pacers had their tails up. He was technically sound, mentally tuned, and tactically spot-on. In many ways, this was Rahul's redemption arc — from injury-plagued and underused to JADEJA: THE RELIABLE WARHORSE Jadeja has long been India's most complete cricketer. But in this series, he morphed into something greater — a batter of steel, class, and unmatched series tally breached the 500-run mark on the back of five half-centuries and a match-saving century in Manchester. His second-innings scores — 25, 69, 61, 107*, and 56 — were a masterclass in adaptation and resilience. He wasn't just making runs; he was anchoring a still-maturing line-up and, at times, marshalling the tail with calm 50 for the Rockstar Ravindra Jadeja just can't stop scoring in England #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 2, 2025Nearly half his runs came in boundaries, yet he struck at a composed 55.06 — proof of a batter who could rotate strike and dictate tempo. With the ball, Jadeja remained tireless, offering breakthroughs and control when needed. If this was Gill's coming-of-age series, it was Jadeja's defining statement of longevity and JAISWAL: HIGHS, LOWS, AND A FINAL HURRAHJaiswal's maiden series in England was a study in contrasts. A fluent century in Leeds and another in the final Test at The Oval bookmarked a campaign that saw him scratch through six lean innings in between — scoring just 101 when it mattered most, the 23-year-old southpaw rose to the needs a map when you've got Jaiswal finding every corner? #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @ybj_19 Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 1, 2025advertisementHis hundred in the final Test proved vital as India edged out a six-run win to draw the series. Jaiswal's overall tally stood at 411 runs, with two centuries and two fifties. It wasn't the most consistent series, but it was enough to show he belonged — and that he had the mental fortitude to bounce PANT: THE X FACTORRishabh Pant's return to red-ball cricket after injury was nothing short of electrifying. Two centuries in the first Test alone — 134 and 118 — followed by fifties in the next three matches, made up his 479-run haul at a stellar average of became only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to score centuries in both innings of a match — and the first Indian to do so in England. Pant wasn't just batting — he was dictating terms to the bowlers, scooping pacers, clearing infields, and forcing captains into defensive can wound the body, not the spirit Rishabh Pant is built different! #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #TeamIndia #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #ExtraaaInnings Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 24, 2025advertisementHe brought unpredictability and flair to a line-up rooted in grit. In a series of fine margins, Pant's audacity often tipped the SUNDAR: INDIA's NEW ALL-ROUNDERWashington Sundar's contributions may have flown under the radar, but they were far from into the XI for the second Test to bolster the lower-middle order, Sundar immediately justified his inclusion. A composed 42 in the first innings and a patient 12 in the second helped India secure a memorable win. But it was in Manchester that he truly announced himself — scoring his maiden Test century and remaining unbeaten on 101, in a 203-run rescue stand with Jadeja to save the match and keep the series evening sparkle, courtesy of Washington Sundar #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @Sundarwashi5 Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 2, 2025In the final Test, with India teetering, Sundar unleashed a counterattack. His 53 off 46 balls — peppered with four boundaries and four sixes — stretched India's lead to 357. That ultimately proved to be just enough to secure a thrilling win by six knock, as one teammate said, was 'one six away from losing the Test — and possibly the series.'RECORD BOOKS SMASHEDIndia's batters turned heads and turned records on their head during the five-Test series in England, piling up a mammoth 3809 runs — the most by India in any Test series. It shattered their long-standing record of 3270 runs from the 1978–79 West Indies series at home and comfortably eclipsed their recent tallies against England in 2016 and 2024. The numbers alone told a story of dominance, but the style was just as emphatic: 470 boundaries — 422 fours and 48 sixes — breaking a 61-year-old record and reflecting a team brimming with intent and one team in Test history has scored more runs away from home — Australia in the 1989 Ashes, with 3877. For a young Indian side to come within touching distance of that mark, in English conditions, against a seasoned bowling attack, was no small feat. It was a loud, clear statement of their maturity and consistency was relentless. India notched up 28 scores of fifty or more, the most by any team in a single Test series. Everyone chipped in. This wasn't a one-man show — it was a chorus, each voice in then came the partnerships — 10 stands of 150-plus. Time and again, India built from scratch, wore the bowlers down, and pushed England to the edge. These weren't just statistics; they were acts of defiance, stitched together by grit and game sense. It was batting at its most purposeful — and most powerful.A NEW ERA, A NEW LEGACYThere was no Kohli. No Rohit. But there was no shortage of steel found new heroes in Gill, Rahul, Jadeja, Pant, Jaiswal and Sundar — each contributing in moments that mattered most. They stitched together partnerships, weathered hostile spells, and created a new blueprint for success Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy ended 2-2. But India took home something far more significant than a shared result. They discovered a new batting core — assured, fearless, and built for the long wasn't survival. This was brought authority, Rahul brought grace, Jadeja stood firm, Pant lit sparks, Jaiswal showed his promise, and Sundar embodied calm under fire. They didn't step in to replace Kohli or Rohit — they stepped up to carve their own in England — a place where many fine players have stumbled — India found its next batting heart. Ready. Resilient. Relentless.- EndsMust Watch


Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Siraj masterclass delivers India glorious series-levelling victory
Kolkata: Believe, Mohammed Siraj was telling himself after waking up on Monday. Strange thing, belief, since it usually draws its impetus from the most recent positives. India had a mixed bag to draw from here. There were two early wickets in the morning on Sunday, and a late comeback accounted for Joe Root. But the tired fast bowlers leaked runs otherwise, not to forget Siraj trod on the boundary cushion while catching Harry Brook on 19. But the best thing about belief is that it keeps reminding you that nothing is over until it's over. India's Mohammed Siraj celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England's Gus Atkinson and India winning the match to draw the test series. (Reuters) India were down and out for nearly 250 runs out of England's chase of 374 on Sunday, but on a new day with an old ball, 35 runs was made to look like a hundred. The tension at the Oval was unbearable, fingernails were chewed nervously as Siraj was playing his own redemption song, with nearly 10,000 Indians screaming their lungs out to match the boisterous English. You remember the heartbreak at Lord's, Siraj falling to his knees after failing to stop the ball from rolling on to the stumps. You remember the despondency on his face after he stepped on the boundary rope while catching Brook, who went on to hit 111. But the most enduring image of the series would be this — Siraj uprooting Gus Atkinson's off-stump with a perfect yorker that arrowed in on off-stump to seal the sensational victory. Amid the uncertainty of defending 373, accentuated to paranoid levels by England's no-holds barred batting approach, it's the character that most impresses. And no one embodied that resilience better than Siraj who returned 5/104. Last fast bowler standing from either side in a bodily draining series played out on the flat tracks that could put to shame those in the subcontinent, Siraj had to dig deep into the reserves of his body and mind. This time for a manic, chaotic and nerve-wracking hour. The 4.1-1-9-3 morning spell was the outcome. Two fours in the first over and you couldn't be blamed for thinking this match was over before it resumed. Pulling the length wasn't the cleverest thing Prasidh Krishna did, and Jamie Overton had no hesitation in flaying it through square leg for a boundary. Another short of length ball, and Overton nearly chopped on to his stumps, but to India's dismay it ran to the fine leg boundary. In came Siraj from the other end, bowling good length areas and making the ball move away or hold its line. Trying to cover for the swing, Jamie Smith stepped out, but the wobble seam ball lured him into poking it to Dhruv Jurel. One down, three to go. Could have been two to go had Gus Atkinson's edge not dropped short of KL Rahul at slip. Good thing was how Siraj was getting the ball to shape away like clockwork. Which meant that the ball that holds its line was due any time now. Maybe Overton too expected it. But the thing with expectation is that it rarely prepares you for the moment it hits you. This was a fuller delivery alright, nipping in just as Overton was shuffling across the stumps, setting him up for a leg before that he couldn't pull out of. Impact inside the stumps, ball just clipping the edge of leg stump, it was understandable why umpire Kumar Dharmasena took ages to raise his finger. When Josh Tongue was dismissed by Krishna for a 12-ball duck, the game took an extraordinary turn, achieving folklore status as Chris Woakes came out with his left arm slung inside his cardigan. Colin Cowdrey had walked out with a broken arm at Lord's in 1963, and in 1984 Malcolm Marshall batted one-handed at Headingley because of a fractured thumb. Woakes was heroically guarded from batting by Atkinson but even running between the wickets left him wincing in pain. This was do-or-die for both sides. Not every move was spot on from India though. Jurel not losing his gloves before taking aim at the end Woakes was running to was shambolic wicketkeeping, but equally unimaginative was how Gill never saw that bye coming. Woakes couldn't bat, England had to run no matter what. By then Akash Deep had palmed a catch over the rope for six to bring England closer to a famous victory. A two took the target into single figures, before Atkinson ran a single again off the last ball to take England within one hit of tying the scores. Siraj returned, for what was his 31st over of the innings, determined not to let England run away with a win. He achieved that with a searing yorker, leaving England dazed and India basking in the glory of having squared a series with a squad no one was ready to give a chance.


Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Sachin Tendulkar, James Anderson nowhere at India-England trophy presentation named after them, ECB silent
The inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India came to a thrilling end on Monday afternoon as Shubman Gill's side registered a thrilling six-run win in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Oval. Heading into the fifth and final day, England needed 35 runs while India required four wickets. The last day started off with Jamie Overton smashing two boundaries off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna, bringing the target down to 27. The inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy concluded with the scoreline 2-2. (PTI) However, Mohammed Siraj finally got his moment to shine as he led India to a memorable victory. He took three out of the remaining four wickets, completing a remarkable fifer. In the end, the visitors registered a six-run win to level the five-match series at 2-2. However, it must be mentioned that neither James Anderson nor Sachin Tendulkar was present for the trophy presentation. No one from Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's family was also spotted handing over the Pataudi medal to Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes. The reasons for their absence are not known at this time. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) continues to maintain its silence. Before the start of the series between India and England, the ECB confirmed their decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy and rename it after two modern-day greats - James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar. The Pataudi Trophy was launched before the 2007 series between the two countries. On that occasion, Mansoor Ali Khan had himself presented it to the then-India captain, Rahul Dravid, for winning the series 1-0. Also Read: 'When Siraj took the last wicket, as much as I was disappointed…': England coach McCullum hails India in 'best series' Both James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar were present during the June trophy launch. However, the duo was nowhere to be seen at the end presentation ceremony. Siraj's lion-hearted effort Mohammed Siraj finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 23 scalps to his name. In the Oval Test against England, Siraj returned with nine wickets, including a crucial fifer in the second innings. Siraj took the final wicket for India as his ripping yorker castled the stumps of Gus Atkinson, leading to some joyous scenes in the Indian dressing room. In the morning session of Day 4, Siraj dropped the crucial catch of Harry Brook, and England's No.5 went on to smash 111 runs. However, Siraj took it upon himself to undo his mistake, and as fate would have it, the pacer did so and in some style. "I thought the match was gone. Had we got Harry Brook out before lunch, things would have been different. There would have been no fifth day. That was a game-changing moment. But we came back strongly after that," Siraj said after leading India to a victory. "When I woke up this morning, I told myself I would change the game. I opened Google, downloaded a 'believe' image and put that as my phone wallpaper," he added.