"Came here to give myself every chance to play just as batter": Stokes after being ruled out of Oval Test
England skipper Ben Stokes on Thursday said the hosts don't think the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R Ashwin makes India any lesser side as their "ginormous" talent pool is enough to fill the void.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has sacked its data analysts, Freddie Wilde and Nathan Leamon, weeks ahead of the Test series against India, as head coach Brendon McCullum wants to put more emphasis on gut feeling and intuition.
Since McCullum took over, England have won six out of their seven Tests
This series begins a potentially era-defining period for Stokes and England coach Brendon McCullum, having enjoyed plenty of highs and lows over the past few years, with the Ashes series in Australia next up in the Test format, starting in November.
England tearaway Jofra Archer is willing to do everything in his power to secure a ticket on the plane that will fly to Australia
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.
Washington Sundar's bold prediction that the visitors would seal the win 'probably in the first session' turned into a haunting soundbite, as England staged a spirited comeback to snatch a 22-run victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.
Captain Gill will be looking to get India back to their best in red ball cricket and he has 'Let you actions lead the way.'
England's style validated despite defeat to Australia, says McCullum
The five-match Test series against India at home is a massive test for England's 'Bazball' brand of cricket under skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Rajaneesh Gupta lists the amazing numbers that make Rohit Sharma one of the finest ODI batters of his time.
Abhishek Sharma opened up about a small but meaningful habit-pulling out a chit from his pocket after scoring a century in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The contest between England's dialled-down "Bazball" approach and Australia's more methodical batting could determine who prevails in the Ashes series beginning in Perth on Friday.
Former captain Michael Vaughan is astonished by England's decision to bowl first on a dry Headingley wicket, a decision that backfired as India finished at 359 for 3 on day one of the first Test in Leeds.
Joe Root returned to England's one-day international squad for the first time since their ill-fated World Cup title defence in November
England coach Brendon McCullum on Monday described his Indian counterpart Gautam Gambhir as a "strong leader of men", backing him to achieve success with the national team in near future.
Selected at number three ahead of the burgeoning talent of Jacob Bethell, who averaged 52 on his first Test tour of New Zealand, Pope settled after early scares to compile his ninth Test century.
Bairstow's highest score in the series so far was 37, posted in the opener in Hyderabad
'Mohammed Siraj and the passion of the Indian boys was too strong and ultimately they deserve to win this Test match.'
England have only drawn one from 35 Tests in the McCullum-Stokes regime, with one of their exhilarating run chases in that spell coming when they reached 378 against India in 2022 -- the only time India have lost when defending Test totals of more than 350.
Brendon McCullum - playing his last Test match- produced a sensational display of stroke-play, blasting to the fastest hundred in Test cricket history. McCullum took 54 balls to reach the three-figure mark, two less than the previous record. Viv Richards and Misbah-ul-Haq held the previous record with 56-ball hundreds. In terms of time taken, McCullum's hundred in 78 minutes is the joint fourth fastest in Test cricket. Statistician Rajneesh Gupta glances at the records of the fastest hundreds in Test cricket:
A few days ago, when young England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir saw a missed call from a New Zealand dialling code number, he ignored it thinking it could be from "anyone random".
Jofra Archer will play his first Test in more than four years as he replaces fellow seamer Josh Tongue for the third Test at Lord's.
Glenn McGrath said his prediction this time is based on how England were held to a 2-2 series draw by India in the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy five-Test series.
England captain Ben Stokes underwent surgery in November for his long-standing left-knee problem.
'...he's not shown any obvious signs of dismissal and he's played stylishly.'
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.
Despite losing the series, McCullum maintains positive outlook.
Former wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik believes Shubman Gill is yet to realise the 'enormity' of what it means to be India's Test captain.
Ahead of England's five-match Test series against India at home, head coach Brendon McCullum hailed young all-rounder Jacob Bethell
Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum believes new captain Shreyas Iyer can be the next superstar in world cricket.
Broad said 'Baz' McCullum had already made a difference.
Former West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin feels the role of wicketkeepers has evolved over the years since Adam Gilchrist came into prominence.
'Bazball' has changed the dynamics of England's batting approach in Test cricket and their Kiwi coach Brendon McCullum is very clear that irrespective of outcome, his team won't deviate from its aggressive tactics against India in the five-Test series, where most tracks will offer substantial turn.
Tim Southee equalled West Indies great Chris Gayle's tally of sixes in Test cricket to move to joint-fourth spot in the all-time list.
After the end of the fifth and final Test match against India in Dharamsala, England head coach Brendon McCullum said that the visitors were more "timid" as the series went on.
'We obviously want to wheel him in, but we also want to respect where his body's at, and on the basis of that, we just felt that it wasn't worth including him in the squad.'
The spotlight will be firmly on Mohammed Shami as the Indian team contemplates his inclusion in the playing XI.
England wicketkeeper Jordan Cox has been ruled out of the three-Test series against New Zealand after fracturing his thumb in a net session during a tour match in Queenstown.
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