'They can't afford to go 2-0 down so you want your best bowler.'
Was it an injury? A missed opportunity? Captain Shubman Gill has an explanation-but it's not one many are buying.
K L Rahul drove his way to a sublime 47 after England negated India's advantage by totalling 465 in their first innings as the visitors had another ordinary day in the field on Day 3 of the first Test in Leeds on Sunday.
Gill, Rahul score fifties in intra-squad practice match against India A ahead of England Test
Former captain Kane Williamson, batsman Tom Blundell and quick Kyle Jamieson, who all have hamstring issues, were selected despite doubts over their fitness.
India crushed England by 336 runs to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday
Opener Ben Duckett hit the most defining century of his career, exposing an out-of-depth Indian attack as England comfortably chased down a tricky target of 371 to win the opening Test by five wickets.
'There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop'
The Indian squad, which is expected to comprise 16 members, will be one of the trickiest ones in recent times as there is a debate around who the new captain should be.
From Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah's high-stakes chess match to the all-round brilliance of Ben Stokes vs Ravindra Jadeja, and from emerging face-offs like Shubman Gill vs Shoaib Bashir to K L Rahul's test against Chris Woakes, each duel carries weight far beyond statistics.
India lost the first Test on Tuesday at Leeds as the hosts chased down a stiff 371 on the final day courtesy a brilliant 149 by opener Ben Duckett.
Barring Jasprit Bumrah, who got five wickets in England's first innings, none of the other bowlers looked penetrative as the hosts chased down a target of 371 with minimum fuss.
If series is on the line and Bumrah is fit, he has to play: Ian Bell
Indian players mourn Ahmedabad airplane crash victims before intra-squad match
This was India's seventh defeat in their last nine matches as their poor run in Test cricket continues following successive series defeats against New Zealand at home and in Australia.
'His hands are quite sore. We want to get his confidence back up.'
With Jasprit Bumrah crafting chances by the dozen, a spate of dropped sitters, including three by Yashasvi Jaiswal, handed England a lifeline and drew scathing remarks from Stuart Broad and Sunil Gavaskar.
Struggling CSK look to turn around fortunes against PBKS
Engineer surprised by Kuldeep's omission from 1st Test, says he should be playing all matches
The contest between laggards Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals holds no significance in the context of the IPL 2025 play-offs.
New Zealand duo of Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway joined Chennai Super Kings' training camp ahead of IPL 2025.
Drawing on his own experience, Harbhajan recalled India's bold decision to field two spinners at Headingley in 2002, when he and Anil Kumble bagged 11 wickets between them on a green top.
As Team India gear up for the much-anticipated Test series against England starting on Friday, several players in the squad will draw confidence from their county cricket experience.
Ravindra Jadeja continues to reign supreme at the top of the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings for all-rounders, but his lead has narrowed following a stellar performance from Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
"We will have an advantage...": BCCI VP Shukla on India's new-look squad for England tour
Rachin Ravindra had two reprieves before being sent back by Kuldeep Yadav.
Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, visitors eye spin boost at Edgbaston.
Shubman Gill played a masterful captain's knock with his second century of the series on the opening day of the second Test
New Zealand's in-form batsman Rachin Ravindra is relishing the prospect of going head-to-head with World Cup hosts India in Mumbai on Wednesday when the Black Caps take on Rohit Sharma's side with a place in next Sunday's final at stake.
Gujarat Titans will be aiming for a top-two spot even as Chennai Super Kings continue planning for the future when the two teams meet in the Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Maharashtra's elite Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a Thane-based junior engineer on charges of spying, alleging that he provided sensitive defence information to a Pakistani intelligence operative who honey-trapped him online, officials said on Thursday.
Standout catches from the CSK vs DC games in Chennai...
Siraj's six-wicket haul helps India stay ahead on bizarre day three of the second Test against England at Edgbaston.
While it's a do-or-die game for KKR, who must win all their remaining three matches to stay in playoffs contention, the match will be more about celebrating Dhoni's legacy than the result.
It's evident that this Indian attack, even without Bumrah, has oodles of quality in it, but can they refocus on their lengths?
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is up and running in Beckenham, putting in the hard yards before the upcoming five high-stakes Tests against England, slated to kick off on June 20 at Headingley.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided the flourish at the end as Chennai Super Kings outclassed Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets to break their run of losses.
This isn't just a Test match - it's a test of Shubman Gill's leadership, temperament, and decision-making.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs by an Indian in England. Virat Kohli holds the record for most wins by an Indian captain in England.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances