IND vs ENG: How June 20 connects Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly & Sai Sudharsan? Why this date is so special?
But what's so special with this date? It was on June 20, the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli made their Test debuts. While Ganguly and Dravid were handed their first India Test caps in England in 1996 in the same Test, Kohli got off to the mark in red-ball cricket in West Indies in the year 2011.
With the team undergoing changes in the 1996, Ganguly and Dravid were handed their debut Test caps at Lord's. What followed was nonetheless legendary stuff from the duo. While Ganguly scored a majestic debut Test hundred while opening the batting, Dravid missed the three-figure mark by just five runs.
Later on the duo went on to become India captains. While India won the Natwest Trophy under Ganguly in 2002, Dravid led India to their third-ever Test series win against England on England soil in 2007. Ganguly was also a part of that Indian side.
Kohli's debut came four years later in 2011 in the Caribbean.
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India Today
8 minutes ago
- India Today
Oval Test: Lion-hearted Siraj, brave Jaiswal inspire Indian fightback in thriller
If you're an Indian fan, chances are you may have lost all hope after witnessing the opening session on Day 2 of the Oval Test. Trailing England 1-2 heading into the series finale, India desperately needed a strong showing in their first innings to keep their hopes of levelling the series alive. However, they endured what was arguably their worst session of the tour on Friday morning-losing their last four wickets for just six runs and conceding 109 runs in 16 overs. | Oval Test, Day 2 Highlights - Scorecard |advertisementEven the most devoted Indian cricket fan might have considered switching off the television and planning a weekend that didn't involve watching the Anderson-Tendulkar then came a lion-hearted effort from Mohammed Siraj, ably supported by Prasidh Krishna, to script an almost implausible comeback with the ball. In the absence of their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj and Prasidh dug deep and ensured that England were dismissed for 247. Tempers flared, words were exchanged and the Test match, much like the rest of the series, ebbed and flowed on Day 2. Yes, England did take a lead-but the 23-run advantage looked far less daunting than what they had been threatening earlier, especially when Duckett and Crawley were in full flow, scoring at over seven runs an over during their explosive opening picked up four wickets, taking his tally to a series-leading 18, while Prasidh delivered a vastly improved performance in the second session to claim four wickets of his own-including that of the rampaging Crawley, who seemed on course for a rapid massive!Mohammed Siraj gets the huge breakthrough, Joe Root is gone!#ENGvIND 5th TEST, DAY 2 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 1, 2025By the close of play, India had turned the tables, ending the day with a 52-run lead after reaching 75 for 2. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a brisk half-century, riding his luck after being dropped twice-once on 20 and again on lost No. 3 Sai Sudharsan with just 20 minutes left in the extended final session. In a tactical move, captain Shubman Gill opted not to walk in and instead sent in Akash Deep as play was called off 15 minutes before the scheduled close after England captain Ollie Pope refused to bring on his spinners when the fading light was not good enough to operate with fast bowlers. It was a questionable decision, and India headed into stumps with their nightwatchman still at the crease alongside the well-set extended India's advantage with a fluent fifty. While the young opener certainly enjoyed a bit of luck, he ensured the scoreboard kept ticking. Unafraid to take risks, Jaiswal recognised that a purely defensive approach might not suit the spicy pitch at The meets its match ball #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @ybj_19 Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 1, 2025SIRAJ STEPS UP IN BUMRAH'S ABSENCE, AGAINIndia appeared to miss Jasprit Bumrah more than ever as England dominated the opening session, threatening to bat the visitors out of the contest. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley took an aggressive approach, standing well outside their crease to negate swing and playing with fearless intent, which completely unsettled the Indian pace raced to fifty in just 7.1 overs, compounding India's woes. The morning began with India losing overnight batters Karun Nair and Washington Sundar cheaply, and ended with them conceding nearly half their total in was at his audacious best-charging down the track against the quicks and executing reverse scoops with ease. He struck five fours and two sixes before falling to Akash Deep while attempting another reverse scoop. That dismissal turned out to be the only bright spot for India in an otherwise forgettable first the lunch break offered India a much-needed breather after the onslaught. When they returned for the second session, there was a noticeable shift in their approach. The bowlers were more patient, choosing to let the helpful conditions at The Oval assist them rather than going in search of extravagant transformation was immediate. Prasidh Krishna, who had gone for 31 runs in his five overs in the first session, struck the first blow after lunch-removing the dangerous Zak Crawley for 64 with a short ball. Crawley, caught off guard by the extra pace, fell to a delivery that was consistently clocking over 145 it was Mohammed Siraj's turn. The Hyderabad pacer produced a fiery spell to dismiss Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Jacob Bethell. He ramped up the pace and cleverly used scrambled seam and angles from the crease to extract movement off the surface. Both Pope and Root were outdone by balls that deviated sharply after third wicket-Bethell-was a searing yorker that left the young left-hander, standing in for the injured Ben Stokes, with no answer. Siraj's three-wicket burst was central to India's dominance in the post-lunch collapsed from 109 for 1 to 215 for 7 in that session, with Siraj's lion-hearted spell dragging India back into the match. He bowled eight overs on the trot, showing remarkable stamina despite the physical toll of having played all five Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Brook waged a lone battle for England, scoring a controlled half-century to ensure the hosts edged into the lead. But even he couldn't escape Siraj's wrath, falling to the pacer who finished with an impressive four-wicket haul."Siraj has a big heart. And with a heart like that, you can push through pain, push through fatigue, and deliver spells like this," said former India fast bowler Varun Aaron on JioHotstar."An eight-over burst in the fifth Test, bowled at that intensity-he was touching 140 kph throughout. Watching him charge in was a sight for sore eyes. It was beautiful."England were also hampered by the absence of Chris Woakes, who was ruled out after dislocating his shoulder on Day 1, leaving them a batter eventually secured a lead of 52 runs by stumps, but all eyes will now be on the crucial first session on Saturday. The team that seizes the advantage in the morning could well dictate the direction of the Test. India will be keen to set England a target in excess of 250, mindful of their ability to chase in the fourth innings in the Bazball era.- EndsTune InYou May Also Like
Hindustan Times
8 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Sai Sudharsan stops midway, turns back to give Ben Duckett a mouthful, Harry Brook tells him to go away
Things keep getting intense in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. In the final few minutes of the second day of the fifth and final Test between India and England, Sai Sudharsan and Ben Duckett engaged in an intense confrontation after the former lost his wicket off the bowling of Gut Atkinson. The left-handed batter was adjudged leg-before wicket by the on-field umpire Ahsan Raza, and after discussing with the non-striker Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young left-handed opener went for a review. Sai Sudharsan and Ben Duckett were involved in a war of words after the former lost his wicket(Action Images via Reuters) However, the replays showed three reds, and Sai Sudharsan had to walk back after scoring just 11 runs off 29 balls. The good-length delivery angled into the middle and leg stump. The ball kept low, and Sudharsan was unable to get his bat down in time. Sudharsan walked back after seeing the replays on the big screen, but he walked back to the middle to have a word or two with Ben Duckett, who seemingly provoked him. The duo exchanged words before Harry Brook came in to mediate and separate the two players. England's stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, also came charging in to separate Duckett and Sai Sudharsan. This episode adds to the on-field spice between the England and India players. On Day 2, Joe Root was involved in a heated exchange with Prasidh Krishna. KL Rahul heard a mouthful from on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena after he stood up for his teammate. Also Read: Kumar Dharmasena livid, orders KL Rahul to meet him after match following heated debate Earlier, Akash Deep also gave a send-off to Ben Duckett after he placed his hand around the left-handed batter's shoulder after taking his wicket. Oval Test hangs in the balance At stumps on Day 2, India's score read 75/2 with the visitors leading by 52 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep are unbeaten on 51 and 4, respectively. Earlier, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna scalped four wickets each as India bundled out England for 245. The hosts took a lead of 23 runs owing to half-centuries by Zak Crawley and Harry Brook. England won the toss in the Oval Test and decided to bowl first. India posted 224 runs in the first innings after Karun Nair slammed his maiden Test half-century. Gus Atkinson returned with five wickets for the hosts, who are leading the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-1.
Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Had a touch with death, literally': Matthew Hayden opens up on ‘scary incident' in Dharamsala during India-Pakistan conflict
The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) had to be briefly suspended due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. The suspension started with a match between the Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings literally being abandoned after 10.1 overs were bowled in Dharamsala. In the months since, there have been a few accounts from players, notably Australia women's captain Alyssa Healy, whose husband Mitchell Starc was playing for the Capitals, and now, former Australia batter Matthew Hayden has revealed how the entire incident unfolded for the commentators. 'I'd flown from Mumbai overnight to Delhi because there wasn't a connecting flight with Punjab's home ground (for that game) Dharamsala. Magnificent ground. But by the time I landed in Delhi, there was no airport open,' said Hayden on the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast. 'It was at the time that coincided with the incursion of Pakistan back into India and we were talking drones navigating across the skies, taking out ground to air missiles and it was just eerie. We had to take a car via Chandigarh up to Dharamsala. That's a 11 and a half, 12 hour drive. By the time we reached the venue we were told the game was about to proceed.' The first signs of something unusual unfolding were the lights at the stadium going off. While it had seemed like a technical issue on air, eventually the whole stadium went dark and reports emerged of the venue being evacuated due to threat of a drone strike. A number of major Indian cities had done blackout drills during that period. Hayden said that the commentators were told before the match that the lights going out will not be a technical issue. 'But half an hour before we went on air we were given a security message that if the light towers were to to go out, it's not a technical issue. It's actually a sign that the venue has been compromised and there will be an emergency evacuation response and we will proceed,' he said. 'I was mid-sentence with my usual garbage on air and the first light tower goes out so I've let the spectators and fans know that it has gone out. Then the second goes almost immediately. Next minute security came in like a blanket. Dropped my mic literally mid-sentence and we were ushered out of the ground,' he said. Hayden noted that the IPL has been a 'great survivor' considering the myriad events it has managed to see through over the course of its existence. 'It's been a great survivor and it's lasted incredible events historically for India. It got moved in the second year to South Africa due to elections. We had Covid and it seemed to survive that we moved to Dubai over to the middle east,' he said.
