Sai Sudharsan made the opportunity count in his comeback game with a fifty while Rishabh Pant suffered another injury as India played the old-fashioned way to reach 264 for four at stumps on Day 1 of the fourth Test in Manchester on Wednesday.
Across five fiercely contested Tests, more than 7,000 runs were scored, including a record-equalling 21 individual centuries. Every match stretched into a gripping fifth day. The sun shone, the stands were full, and the cricket -- emotional, enthralling, and endlessly unpredictable -- captured imaginations around the world.
While Abhishek Sharma's explosive century stole the headlines, Samson's replacement by Dhruv Jurel raised questions about his availability.
Will Sai Sudarshan or Abhimanyu Easwaran bat at No. 3?
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the fifth Test against England?
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has returned to the team after recovering from a finger surgery he underwent last month. .
The third Test at Lord's could well be the series' turning point. This isn't just about team combinations or tactical tweaks anymore. The pitch has emerged as a defining factor -- one that could tilt the balance of power in a contest hanging delicately at 1-1.
K L Rahul would look to make the most of his first red-ball outing in months ahead of the upcoming Test series against England.
Rajasthan Royals face a tough challenge against a marauding Punjab Kings batting lineup, led by in-form Shreyas Iyer.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday
With over 500 runs, six crucial catches, the most by an Indian on the tour, Rahul led by example and lived up to his wiseman tag.
Tilak Varma's "mature" unbeaten 72 was the difference between India and England in the second T20I here, reckoned visitors's pace bowling all-rounder Brydon Carse.
Sai Sudharsan's classy fifty combined with a collective bowling effort powered Gujarat Titans to a commanding 58-run win over Rajasthan Royals.
Riding high on their new-found confidence, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will be hoping to finally get it right at home and keep their play-off hopes alive when they take on a struggling Rajasthan Royals in their IPL match in Kolkata on Sunday.
Since Suryakumar took over as captain last year, India have hardly put a wrong but his own form has dipped.
In a must-win situation to keep the five-match series alive, England would be hoping to put a much improved performance with the bat.
South Africa crushed England by seven wickets in their final group match to storm into the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy.
The Proteas will now face the Group A runners-up in the semifinals, with India and New Zealand set to battle for Group A placings in Dubai on Sunday.
England secured a 26-run victory over India in the third T20I in Rajkot on Tuesday to stay alive in the five-match series.
England pacer Brydon Carse is expecting the transitioning Indian team to put up a strong fight in the five-match Test series despite the recent retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, thanks to their "huge depth".
To say the least, a relatively inexperienced batting line up led by Shubman Gill would be relieved to see the name of James Anderson
Joe Root's century in vain as England were shown the door.
India will ponder whether they want to include Washington Sundar, who is quite handy with the bat or Kuldeep Yadav, who is a much better wicket-taking option.
Rising star Riyan Parag will lead Rajasthan Royals in the first three IPL games, as regular captain Sanju Samson will be playing as a specialist batter cum Impact Substitute.
Joe Root returned to England's one-day international squad for the first time since their ill-fated World Cup title defence in November
Of the 13 dismissals on the night, 10 were caught and these were the standouts.
26-year-old Tom Banton, a wicketkeeper-batter, is currently the leading run-scorer in the UAE ILT20 competition.
A probable lack of solution for his recurring struggles with the ball outside the off-stump prompted Virat Kohli to take retirement from Test cricket
England captain Jos Buttler is confident that the upcoming T20I series against India will not impact their preparation for the Champions Trophy.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals played in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Wanindu Hasaranga, who grabbed four prized wickets, was the pick of the bowlers for Rajasthan Royals.
IMAGES from the 3rd T20I between India and England in Rajkot on Tuesday.
With just two wins from eight outings, Rajasthan find themselves languishing in eighth place on the points table.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer will play his first One-day International for 18 months in Thursday's clash with Australia at Trent Bridge, stand-in captain Harry Brook said on Wednesday.
Images from the IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur on Saturday
RR lost as many as 5 games this IPL after being in a seemingly winning position. Had they managed to win those games, they would have sealed a playoff spot.
IMAGES from the Group B Champions Trophy match between Australia and England in Lahore on Saturday
Former India speedster Varun Aaron has praised Gujarat Titans' young opener Sai Sudharsan's exceptional performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, saying he has a very bright future ahead of him.
Both teams have struggled in the ODI format recently. World champions Australia lost to Sri Lanka (0-2) and Pakistan (1-2) in their last two series, while England, now coached by Brendon McCullum in all formats, haven't won an ODI series since their disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign.
The contest between laggards Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals holds no significance in the context of the IPL 2025 play-offs.
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