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India Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
ENG vs IND: England pacer Mark Wood hopeful of comeback in fifth Test against India
England's pace spearhead Mark Wood is eyeing a return to Test cricket and hopes to feature in the fifth and final match of the ongoing series against India. The 35-year-old fast bowler is currently recovering from a knee injury and believes he could be fit in time for the Oval Test, scheduled to begin on July sustained medial ligament damage to his left knee during the 2025 Champions Trophy and had to limp off the field mid-match. He underwent knee surgery in March and was subsequently advised a four-month rehabilitation period-effectively ruling him out of the five-match series. However, Wood has made steady progress and is now hopeful of making a late to BBC Test Match Special, Wood said he had resumed light bowling and was cautiously optimistic about being available for the fifth Test. "Rehab is going well. I've just started bowling very lightly, so I'm officially on the comeback trail now," Wood said."I'm hoping to still play a part in this series so I get to have a look at some of the players here who I might come up against. I'm still targeting probably the last Test. Anything before that is maybe a bit too soon. The last Test-I might not get there-but at the minute, that's still my focus."The fifth Test of the England-India series will be held at The Kia Oval from July 31. To prove his fitness, Wood is expected to play in the County Championship match for Durham against Somerset, starting July his return would be a major boost for England, the team management is unlikely to rush him back, especially with the Ashes looming on the horizon. England's pace attack has already been depleted by injuries in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with several frontline bowlers Stone and Jofra Archer are both in rehabilitation, with Archer expected to be available for the second Test. Reports suggest he will feature for Sussex against Durham in the County Championship on Sunday. Archer, who last played a Test in May 2021, has since only featured in white-ball admitted that the comeback has been slow, but he remains hopeful."It's been a bit slow to start with. I haven't been able to do a lot, but it's starting to speed up now. I'm getting some bowling in-hopefully not too much longer," he said."I am still hoping that I can play a part right at the end of the series, but I'll just wait and see." You May Also Like
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
India vs England: Ahead of first Test at Headingley, R Ashwin's wife Prithi feels 'mixed emotions'
R Ashwin (L) with his family. (Instagram) India's Test cricket team is undergoing a transition as they prepare to face England in a five-match series at Headingley, Leeds, marking the first time since 2011 that the team will play without celebrated stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and Ravichandran Ashwin . Under the new leadership of Shubman Gill, this series represents the beginning of India's fresh cycle in the ICC World Test Championship. The last time India played without these veterans was during the 2011 Oval Test against England, when MS Dhoni led the team. This significant change comes after the retirements of key players, with Rohit and Kohli announcing their departures last month and Ashwin concluding his Test career during the tour of Australia in 2024. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The emotional impact of this transition was captured in a heartfelt social media post by Prithi Narayanan, Ravichandran Ashwin's wife, on the morning of the first Test. Shubman's Big Test Begins! India's Probable XI & Stokes' Mind Games | ENG vs IND 1st Test Preview "Test match day for India and I woke up with many many mixed feelings :) have to find a different way to love it and unlearn the only way I knew to," Prithi wrote in an Instagram Story. While Pujara and Rahane have not officially retired, they are no longer being considered for national team selection. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ¡Todo a tu favor con Orange! Orange Undo These players were instrumental in India's rise to the No.1 Test rankings and their notable victories in overseas conditions. R Ashwin's wife Prithi posted on Instagram. The new Indian Test team features a mix of young talent and experienced players. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, and Dhruv Jurel represent the new generation, while the pace attack is led by the established duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. The leadership structure has also been revamped, with Rishabh Pant serving as vice-captain under Gill's captaincy. This new formation emphasises aggressive cricket and adaptation to modern Test match requirements. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
India Gazette
16-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Wadekar's resiilience, Chandrasekhar's storm: How India conquered England shores for first time in 1971
New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): A new-look Indian side will kickstart their five-match series against England from June 20 onwards at Leeds, aiming to seal the side's first series win on English shores in 18 years under captaincy of newly-appointed captain Shubman Gill, following retirements of superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the format. As Team India practices and sweats it hard, they will have three captains and their teams to take inspiration from: Ajit Wadekar, who won India their first series in England back in 1971, Kapil Dev, who repeated the feat in 1986 and Rahul Dravid, who brought the Pataudi Trophy back home in 2007. Ahead of the series, let us look back at India's hard-fought 1-0 win in England 44 years back. 1st Test: After a series of solid performances against several counties in tour matches, the first Test took place at Lord's. England opted to bat first, putting on 304 on the board, with half-centuries from Alan Knott (67) and John Snow (73) after India reduced them to 183/7. Bishan Bedi (4/70), Bhagwath Chandrasekhar (3/110) and S Venkataraghavan (2/44) shone for India with their bamboozling spin. India secured a slender nine-run lead despite the early loss of openers Ashok Mankad and Sunil Gavaskar, with fifties coming from Ajit Wadekar (85), Gundappa Viswanath (68) and Eknath Solkar (67), who powered India to 313. In the second England innings, spin was once again dominant as other than a fifty from John Edrich (62), none of the batters could make an impact. Venkataraghavan took 4/52, reducing England to 191, and India had 183 runs to chase. India started off shaky with scoreline at 21/2, with a 66-run stand between Gavaskar (53) and Farokh Engineer (35) putting India at the front before England struck a comeback courtesy a Norman Gifford (4/48) spell. The match ended in a draw, with India at 145/8. 2nd Test: In the second Test at Lord's, England once again opted to bat first. Skipper Ray Illingworth (107) along with Peter Lever (88*) and Brian Luckhurst (78) proved England right as they put up 386 on the board. Syed Abid Ali (4/64) and Venkataraghavan (3/89) were the top bowlers for India. In their first innings, India were made to suffer by Lever (5/70) as no one clicked with the bat except for fifties from Gavaskar (57) and Solkar (50). India was skittled out for 212, trailing by 174 runs. Luckhurst (101) and Edrich (59) scored big for England, who declared on 245/3 in the second innings, setting a massive 420 to chase for India. The match ended in a stalemate, with India at 65/3. 3rd Test: The Oval Test was Indian cricket at its finest in England. A hat-trick of toss wins put England to bat first, and fifties from John Jameson (82), Knott (90) and Richard Hutton (81) took England to 355. Solkar shined with spell of 3/28, while spin trio of Bedi, Chandrasekhar and Venkatraghavan managed two each. Resilient fifties from Dilip Sardesai (54) and Engineer (54) ,and skipper Wadekar's (48) took India to 284, though they trailed by 71 runs. Skipper Illingworth (5/70) shone with a five-wicket haul. In England's second innings, Chandrasekhar (6/38) hit the hosts like a storm, bundling them out for 101 runs, setting an easy 172 to chase for India. India chased down this total with four wickets left, with Wadekar (45) and Sardesai (40) playing solid knocks in the face of hiccups endured during the chase. India registered their first-ever Test win in England and first-ever series win there as well. Skipper Wadekar was India's top run-getter (204 runs in three matches with a fifty in six innings), followed by Engineer (172 runs in three Tests with a fifty in five innings) and Solkar (168 runs in three Tests with two fifties in five innings). The spin trio of Venkatraghavan (13 scalps in three matches at an average of 26.92, best figures of 4/52), Chandrasekhar (13 scalps in three matches at an average of 29.15, best figures of 6/38), and Bedi (11 wickets at an average of 29.54, with best figures of 4/29) dominated the top-three spots in the bowling charts. Solkar also took six wickets, making this series a solid all-round show for himself. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ajinkya Rahane shocked after being told about Rohit Sharma's retirement in press conference: 'Is it? I thought he...'
Ajinkya Rahane was taken by surprise when told about Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket during the post-match press conference after the game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday night. Speaking after KKR's narrow two-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, the former India Test vice-captain – currently leading the Knight Riders – admitted he had no idea of the news. Ajinkya Rahane reacts to Rohit Sharma's Test retirement(IPL) 'I'm actually shocked. I didn't know that he retired in the Test format. But I just want to wish him the best,' Rahane said at the Eden Gardens, visibly caught off-guard. Rohit, 38, took to Instagram on Wednesday evening to confirm that he was stepping away from the longest format of the game with immediate effect. His decision came just a day after India's national selectors met to discuss the leadership group for the upcoming tour of England, a series that will mark Team India's return to international cricket after the IPL. Rahane, a long-time teammate of Rohit for both India and Mumbai, was informed of the news by reporters. 'Oh, is it? I just want to wish him the best. I thought he has done fantastically well in the Test format. I didn't know (about the retirement),' he repeated, still processing the announcement. Watch Rahane's reaction: The veteran batter praised Rohit's journey in red-ball cricket, highlighting his successful transition from middle-order batsman to attacking opener. 'Whatever his plans are, he has done really well, improved his game, as a Test batter. He started his career 5-6 number and then opened the innings,' Rahane said. 'I thought the way he adapted to that opening slot was amazing to see. He always wanted to take on the bowlers, play with freedom. And that's what he wanted other players to do as well, play with freedom.' Rohit retires with 4,301 Test runs in 67 matches, averaging 40.57 with 12 centuries and 18 fifties. His bold approach at the top, especially in home conditions, helped redefine India's strategy post-2019, with his standout knock of 127 in the 2021 Oval Test marking a high point in his overseas red-ball career. While Rohit has already bid adieu to T20Is after leading India to a World Cup title last year, he will continue to be available for ODIs and the IPL.
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Why an 80mph seamer can lead England to Ashes glory Down Under - and what it means for Bazball's relationship with county cricket
During the Oval Test against Sri Lanka last September, an influential member of the England dressing-room suggested over dinner that it would be hard to squeeze Essex seamer Sam Cook into the Test team – essentially because he wasn't quick enough. Yet when England name their squad for next month's four-day Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, Cook – whose offerings settle in at around 80mph – is set for inclusion, earning the chance at the age of 27 to show that a remarkable first-class record of 318 wickets at 19 each can translate into success at the highest level.
