
Shashi Tharoor missing Virat Kohli in England: Too late to call him out of retirement?
India were staring down the barrel with England on 332/4 in the last session, needing just 41 more runs to win. However, India managed to claw their way back into the match as Prasidh Krishna shattered Jacob Bethell's stumps.He further got the big scalp of Joe Root, making him edge one to the wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel on 105. As a result, India had two new batters at the crease in Jamie Smith (2) and Jamie Overton. All of a sudden, both Krishna and Mohammed Siraj found their rhythm and didn't let the duo score quickly, beating them on the outside edge and hitting them on the pads on a regular basis.With the game on a knife's edge, bad light and rain interrupted an incredible passage of play, and early stumps were called on Day 4, pushing the game into a last-day thriller.- EndsMust Watch

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NDTV
10 minutes ago
- NDTV
Gautam Gambhir's Fiery 'Culture' Speech After Memorable Win In 5th Test
Following the 2-2 Test series draw against England, India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed confidence in his team's ability to dominate red-ball cricket, provided they maintain their work ethic and commitment. India concluded the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with a thrilling six-run win at The Oval on Monday. The win not only saved India from a third consecutive Test series defeat under Gambhir's tenure but also silenced critics for doubting the Shubman Gill-led young side. Overcoming the Test retirements of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the young Indian team played as a unit and displayed grit and resilience to deliver outstanding performance under pressure on challenging English conditions. "The way this series has panned out 2-2 is an outstanding result, congratulations to all. So remember, we will keep getting better, we will keep working hard, we will keep improving our areas - because if we keep doing that, we can dominate Test cricket for a very long period. People will come & go, but the culture of the dressing room should always be like that people want to be part of this culture, that is what we want to create. Good luck, enjoy yourself. You can take a couple of days off, and you deserve every bit of it. What you guys have achieved, you deserve every bit of it. Congratulations," Gambhir said in a Dressing Room BTS video shared by the BCCI. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam) Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja handed the Impact Player of the Series medal to Washington Sundar for his outstanding performance on the tour. He finished the series with 284 runs, including an unbeaten 101 match-saving knock at Old Trafford in Manchester. "Obviously, it is a great blessing to be playing four games on the trot in a place like England. Always wanted to do really well here. And as a team, just the way we went about, every single day was amazing. The energy we created especially from a fielding perspective, the energy we created, we were always there for each other. Thank you so much for everything," Sudar said of his successful England tour.


India Today
10 minutes ago
- India Today
India's Jasprit Bumrah dilemma: Protect the body or preserve his magic
Jasprit Bumrah and the Indian team management may soon be staring down an impossible choice: protect a fragile, injury-prone body or preserve the very skillset that made him one of the greatest fast bowlers of this generation. And in the noise surrounding workload management and pick-and-choose games, that decision is growing more urgent with each passing his own high standards, Bumrah has had a quiet tour of England. The pacer picked up 14 wickets in three matches, but you could see that his effectiveness kept reducing over the course of the series. His spells haven't changed games the way they used to, and the spark that once made him unplayable in all conditions has flickered. But the broader conversation isn't just about form — it's about for India, the pipeline of talent is as rich as ever. Names like Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh and others offer depth, and the temptation for the team management to lean into rotation is real. This could be the moment to rethink how Bumrah is used — not just in the short term, but with an eye on whether he gets to bow out gracefully, or break down before he OF FRAGILITY There is always a fear that Bumrah will break down during a series (Courtesy: Reuters) Injuries and Jasprit Bumrah have become a constant pairing. Even when he's fit, the undertone of worry never quite disappears. Is he nursing something? Will he last the whole series? What happens if he's pushed one spell too far?It's a tough tag to carry — to be seen not just as a match-winner, but as someone one sprint away from another layoff. The mental toll of that perception, though never publicly acknowledged, can't be story oddly mirrors that of Deku from My Hero Academia — a gifted individual who hurts himself every time he uses his powers. Deku eventually trained to control it. Bumrah, however, doesn't have the luxury of plot armour. Real bones break. Stress fractures don't fade with spirit CALENDAR DOESN'T CAREIndia plays more cricket than almost any other team in the world. Test series, bilateral white-ball tours, ICC events, franchise cricket — it never stops. Bumrah, once an all-format warhorse, now appears only in select series and ICC tournaments. Yet, the injuries that careful curation hasn't insulated him. Which raises a troubling question: is it even possible for Bumrah to keep playing Test cricket without risking long-term damage?OPTION 1: FEWER OVERS, BIGGER IMPACTIndia has already implemented a partial solution — restricting Bumrah's appearances in Tests. But perhaps it's time to go further. Limit his spells to short, explosive bursts. Use him like a heat-seeking missile, not as a workhorse. Get maximum impact in 4–5 over spells instead of 7– could work, especially on flat pitches or when the ball offers little. But in England, or in swing-friendly conditions, this approach could shift the burden onto other bowlers and dull Bumrah's threat over longer innings. You save the bowler, but you might lose the 2: TWEAK THE ACTION? Bumrah's unorthodox action makes him special (Courtesy: Reuters) If his body can't handle the current strain, do you change what makes him special?Bumrah's action is unorthodox — a short run-up, explosive leap, and a late whip of the wrist. It generates serious pace, but also places massive stress on the lower back — the same area that has sidelined him that action could reduce injury risk. But at what cost? His pace, his deception, his very effectiveness — all of it stems from that unique release. Change it, and you risk being the one who ruined the magic that makes him the choice must rest with Bumrah and those he trusts. Does he want to continue playing all three formats? Is Test cricket still worth the pain? Is another stress fracture worth another comeback?advertisementBumrah is already one of the most respected pacers of his era — a bowler with a legacy. But to extend it, he might have to let go of parts of what made him great. There's no perfect answer. Just maybe that's the real Jasprit Bumrah dilemma: not just saving his body or preserving his magic — but figuring out how much of himself he's still willing to risk in search of greatness.- Ends


India Today
10 minutes ago
- India Today
Mukesh Kumar is a bowler for all formats: Sourav Ganguly on pacer's England Test snub
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly said that Mukesh Kumar is an excellent bowler and is someone who's suited to all formats. The 31-year-old Mukesh was left out of India's Test squad for the fivematch series against England even after leading performances for pacer took three wickets in his only unofficial Test versus England Lions at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, yet he couldn't find a place in the squad, even as an injury cover. Just two days before the first Test against England, Mukesh posted a cryptic Instagram story that read: "Karma bides its time. You will always have to watch out. Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback."advertisementSpeaking on the matter, Ganguly said that Mukesh, being a consistent performer in the domestic circuit, deserves more opportunities. 'Mukesh should definitely play. In these conditions, he's an excellent fast bowler. He consistently takes wickets in domestic cricket and deserves a chance,' Ganguly told India Today in an exclusive Kumar needs to be patientGanguly also expressed hope that Mukesh would be selected for the upcoming Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates from September 9 to 28.'Since there's no Test cricket at the moment, let's see if he gets picked for the T20s or the Asia Cup. He's a bowler who can perform across all formats. His time will come—just needs to be patient,' Ganguly in 1993, Mukesh debuted in first-class cricket in October2015 and delivered a breakthrough Ranji season in 201920, including a sixwicket haul in a semifinal. In 2023, Delhi Capitals (DC) signed him for Rs 5.5crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He played 32 IPL matches by 2025, taking 36 wickets at an economy a space of 14 days between July and August 2023, he made his Test, ODI and T20I debuts against West Indies, and has since taken wickets across all formats at respectable averages. In the three Tests he has played so far, Mukesh has 7 it comes to the ODIs, Mukesh has 5 wickets from six matches and in T20Is, he got 20 scalps to his name from 17 matches. Mukesh last played a game for India in July last year during the tour of Zimbabwe.- Ends