Test of skill and nerves: List of closely - fought series - From Gabba to Centurion to Mumbai
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India.com
11 minutes ago
- India.com
So Many Little Things...: Brendon McCullum Makes Honest Admission After Englands Loss Against India In Oval Test
Brendon McCullum admitted there was 'room to improve' as he reflected on England's gripping 2-2 Test series draw against India and turned his sights towards sharpening the squad ahead of the Ashes later this year. The England head coach, speaking after a dramatic six-run defeat at The Oval that saw India level the series on the final day, praised his team's fight while acknowledging the narrow margins that denied them their first series win over India since 2018. In a breathtaking finish to the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India completed a comeback from 2-1 down, snatching victory in just 56 minutes on the 25th morning—marking their narrowest ever win by runs in Test cricket. England's pursuit of a 374-run target unravelled from a dominant 301/3 to a dismal 367 all out, losing 7 wickets for just 66 runs in a collapse that ultimately cost them the series. 'We'll let this one sit, we'll digest it,' McCullum was quoted by ESPNCricinfo as saying. 'We'll be able to pick out what has gone well, then start to work out how we can keep improving so, when we do arrive out in Australia, we give ourselves a huge chance.' The former New Zealand captain stressed that England's journey under his and Ben Stokes' leadership is still very much a work in progress. With no Test matches until the Ashes opener in Perth this November, McCullum now has time to assess the highs and lows of a compelling summer. 'We're in the middle now, halfway through what we knew was going to be an unbelievable 12 months of Test cricket. We know we've got some room to improve,' he said. 'You're always learning any time you get to see guys having to dig deep and go to places they've maybe not been before. There's a lot to pick out as we give ourselves time for this to digest and work out areas we can look to improve for our next challenge.' England's fielding, particularly in the fifth Test, came under scrutiny. They dropped six catches during India's second innings of 396, mistakes that McCullum admitted proved costly. 'We didn't catch very well in this game, but have caught really well over the last few years,' he conceded. 'Sometimes dropped catches happen, and one leads to another. If we had held our catches, maybe we would have been standing on the other side of the result. That's life, there are so many little things in the game we could pick out and have huge impacts. We are a good fielding unit and had a bit of an average performance in this Test.' Despite the disappointment of missing out on a series win, McCullum was full of praise for his players' commitment and India's resilience, especially that of fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. 'Ultimately, I'm really proud of the guys and their efforts,' he said. 'It's been a combative series; it's taken its toll with injuries, and some of the best players have gone home injured. To sit here at 2-2, yes, you're disappointed, but you're proud of the efforts. 'The way India were late on in this Test, Mohammed Siraj has the absolute heart of a lion to bowl 90mph in his 30th over of his fifth Test match. It's quite an incredible effort.' McCullum admitted England had opportunities to close out the series but was reluctant to dwell on them, instead crediting India for seizing the crucial moments. 'We threw everything at them. It was a testament to how stoic they are as a team. We knew when they turned up in England, it would be a very stern challenge and we'd have to play excellent cricket to get the result we wanted. 'Ultimately, I thought it was an absolutely unbelievable series to be part of. It had confrontation, it had stalemates, it had passion, and it had some sub-par performances under pressure as well. 'As much as we got ourselves in a winning position this Test match, I feel like they deserved to win. They played better cricket,' he added.
NDTV
41 minutes ago
- NDTV
Jasprit Bumrah Posts Emotional Message After England Test Series: ""We Take Back..."
India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah said that he will take back great memories from the highly competitive and enthralling five-Test series against England. India won the fifth and final Test by six runs at The Oval on Monday to level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2. Bumrah missed the series finale as part of his workload management. However, Mohammed Siraj took the responsibility on his shoulders and received ample support from Prasidh Krishna to give a fighting performance on the final day of the tour. Siraj bagged five wickets while Krishna got hold of four scalps to script a historic win for India in London. On the other hand, Bumrah played three Tests of the tour - Leeds, Lord's, and Manchester - and clinched 14 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls, before being released from the fifth Test squad. "We take back great memories from a highly competitive and enthralling test series! Looking forward to what's next," Bumrah wrote in an Instagram post. India all-rounder Washington Sundar, who was named India's Impact Player of the Series, reflected on his successful tour and called it a "blessing" to represent the country. "Test cricket really is life. Unpredictable, demanding, but so full of meaning. You learn something new every day, about the game, about yourself. Patience, discipline, and AWARENESS… it brings it all out. "Somehow, in all the grind, you start figuring out who you really are. What a blessing to play it," Sundar wrote in an Instagram post. The left-handed batter wrapped up the series with 284 runs, highlighted by an unbeaten match-saving 101 at Old Trafford in Manchester. He also claimed seven wickets across the four Tests during the remarkable tour.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
"Reminded Me Of Kapil Dev": Yograj Singh's Blockbuster Praise For Mohammed Siraj
Former cricketer Yograj Singh saw shades of Kapil Dev after witnessing Mohammed Siraj unleashing fury under London's gloomy sky with his scorching spells at The Oval to engineer a memorable victory for India in the fifth Test against England. The fate of the inaugural edition of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was decided in the opening hour of the final day, with India standing triumphant with a slender six-run win, an indelible story of success. After the weather gods intervened and forced an early closure on the fourth day, the equation was straightforward for both teams. England stood 35 runs short of gunning down the 374-run target. On the other hand, India had to scythe four wickets to rob England's chances of ruining Shubman Gill's first captaincy assignment in a series defeat. Siraj and Prasidh Krishna's sweltering spells under the slight drizzle in London saw India rip through England's tail and pull the curtains down on the gruelling five-match affair on level terms at 2-2. Yograj was impressed by India's blockbuster show. He revealed that Siraj's spells turned back the clock and reminded him of the legendary India captain Kapil Dev, who was known for his dazzling spells. The 67-year-old analysed Gill's "mature" captaincy and didn't feel he was leading a side for the first time in a high-stakes overseas tour. "The way our players have played, it was amazing to watch. The way Mohammed Siraj bowled, he reminded me of Kapil Dev. The captaincy of Shubman Gill was mature. It did not seem at all that he was a captain for the first time," Yograj told ANI. In the final moment of the series, Siraj landed the decisive blow and topped it up with his trademark 'Sui' celebration. On his 1,113th delivery of the series, he nailed the yorker and rattled Gus Atkinson's timber to get India past the finishing line with a narrow six-run triumph, finishing with a sizzling five-for in the second innings and overall match figures 9/190. Across the five Tests, Siraj has been a whirlwind on the field and a workhorse, bearing the brunt of relentlessly delivering wicket-taking spells for India. He redefined the concept of workload management, bowled his heart out across the five Tests and concluded the series as the leading wicket-taker. Siraj's determination and perseverance resonated in the 1113 deliveries he bowled in five Tests to scalp 23 wickets at 32.43.
