India and England players will push their tired bodies on the line with everything to play for in the fifth and final Test starting at The Oval on Thursday
England coach Brendon McCullum warned that if the pitch indeed favours the spinners, England would not be afraid to field an all-spin attack.
The altercation between head coach Gautam Gambhir and Oval's chief curator Lee Fortis happened after the visitors were asked to stand "2.5 metres from the wicket."
Curran hasn't played for England since he featured in a white-ball series against the West Indies in November last year and was recently overlooked for the side's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign
Besides the surface, the behaviour of the Dukes has also come under scanner with the softer ball hardly offering anything to the bowlers.
England head coach Brendon McCullum's appearance in online betting advertisements has landed him in a fix with ECB probing if it is in breach of the governing body's anti-corruption rules.
The ECB said no action will be taken against England head coach Brendon McCullum, who was under scrutiny for his association with a betting company.
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.
England star batsman Joe Root has expressed his confidence in the team's approach under coach Brendon McCullum, saying the 'Bazball' philosophy perfectly complements the players' skills. Root, returning to England's ODI setup for the series against India, sees endless possibilities for the team under McCullum's guidance. He highlighted the exciting blend of skills within the squad and believes this team has the potential to achieve great things.
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.
England's style validated despite defeat to Australia, says McCullum
This chase marked the sixth time under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum leadership that England had hauled in targets of 250 or more in the fourth innings.
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".
Gill's magnificence. Siraj and Akash's brilliance. Jadeja's class. Jaiswal and Rahul's success. Stokes' toss blunder. Root's failures.
England coach Brendon McCullum, known for his aggressive 'Bazball' approach, has surprised everyone by promising a "watchful" style of cricket in the limited overs series against India. He also confirmed that captain Jos Buttler will focus solely on batting and won't be keeping wickets during the tour. The tour begins with the first of the five-match T20I series at Eden Gardens on Wednesday, followed by three one-day internationals. This ODI series serves as a dress rehearsal for both teams ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19.
'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.
'And obviously two losses and being out of the tournament and a bit of hangover of the few tournaments before I think it probably reached the end of the road foe me and my captaincy, is a shame, I'm sad about that.'
'Shubman Gill is a great thinker and player, but man management will be key to his leadership success.'
Since McCullum took over, England have won six out of their seven Tests
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".
During the third day of the opening Test against New Zealand, England skipper Ben Stokes entered the history books as he broke Brendon McCullum's record.
Former West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin feels the role of wicketkeepers has evolved over the years since Adam Gilchrist came into prominence.
Abhishek Sharma's Father Breaks Superstition, Witnesses Record-Breaking Knock in Hyderabad
'I don't know if it's symbolic of where the game itself is at around the globe, but I see it as an absolute positive to be honest.'
Joe Root returned to England's one-day international squad for the first time since their ill-fated World Cup title defence in November
'Bazball' could be the most used term in world cricket over the last one month but the inspiration behind it, England Test coach Brendon McCullum, finds the incessant talk around the newly coined word 'silly'.
England captain Jos Buttler is confident that the upcoming T20I series against India will not impact their preparation for the Champions Trophy.
McDonald 'disappointed' with McCullum's comment post Bairstow dismissal
Ahead of the 18th season of Indian Premier League, here all the stats and numbers from the annual cricket extravaganza.
Jos Buttler joins greats Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara as players who failed to translate their many individual triumphs into success as captains.
McCullum replaced Chris Silverwood who left the role in February
Brendon McCullum wants James Anderson and Stuart Broad to be in his Ashes squad
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.
'I think McCullum wants to take this up because he sees this as a major challenge.'
'He sees the big picture in everything, so I've no concerns that the skipper will be totally looked after. And I also believe that the Ashes is the script that the skipper is waiting to write, so he'll be sweet.'
The spotlight will be firmly on Mohammed Shami as the Indian team contemplates his inclusion in the playing XI.
Broad said 'Baz' McCullum had already made a difference.
India's young T20 stars, led by opener Abhishek Sharma's blistering 79 off 34 balls, helped India crush England by seven wickets in the first T20I in Kolkata.
'He wants to do something significant and leave a legacy and impact on Test cricket and he is getting there.'
Coming to the match, Trent Boult started the carnage, eventually finishing with figures of three for 20, and as Indian batters picked out the fielders on the boundary with regularity, they were only able to make 110 for seven.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances