Tag: England

MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Saturday, officially named Shubman Gill as the new captain of the national Test team ahead of the much-anticipated five-match Test series against England.

The announcement came alongside the squad reveal for the tour of England, scheduled to begin on June 20.

The 25-year-old replaces Rohit Sharma, who has retired from the longest format, joining fellow stalwarts Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin in bidding farewell to Test cricket.

Gill’s appointment signals a generational shift in Indian cricket, with a strong emphasis on building for the future.

At 25 years and 258 days, Shubman Gill becomes the fifth-youngest Test captain in India’s history, behind only Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri.

Despite limited red-ball captaincy experience, just five first-class matches, including a Ranji Trophy game, Gill has shown leadership promise in white-ball cricket.

He recently led Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2024 playoffs in only his second season as captain.

“We obviously discussed every option that’s there,” said India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar, while explaining the decision.

“Over the last year or so, we have looked at Shubman at various times, even when we played England last year. We are hopeful we have picked the right guy. He’s a terrific player, and best wishes to him.”

Meanwhile, the 18-member squad also includes some notable inclusions and omissions.

While Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, and Sai Sudharsan have earned spots, senior pacer Mohammed Shami continues to remain out.

Rishabh Pant, recently back from injury, has been named vice-captain and will resume wicketkeeping duties.

India squad for the Test series against England

Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

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Ben Stokes struck twice on his return to Test cricket as England enforced the follow-on against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on Friday despite a record-breaking century from Brian Bennett.

Zimbabwe were dismissed for just 265 after tea on the second day of the four-day match, exactly 300 runs behind England’s mammoth first-innings 565-6 declared.

England captain Ben Stokes wasted no time in asking Zimbabwe to bat again as he sought to turn the screw in Nottingham.

And at stumps, Zimbabwe were 30-2 in their second innings, a deficit of 270 runs.

This actually represented a recovery from 7-2 in the first Test of Zimbabwe in England in 22 years.

Bennett endured the other side of Test cricket when lbw for just one to Gus Atkinson before Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine also fell cheaply.

Zimbabwe were dominated by England’s batsmen before reaching the relative comfort of 187-3 on a flat pitch in their first innings.

But all-rounder Ben Stokes, playing his first match of the year in any form of cricket following hamstring surgery, took two wickets for no runs in 11 balls before tea to leave Zimbabwe struggling on 199-5.

He had Sikandar Raza (seven) caught behind off a lifting delivery ball that cut away before bowling Wessly Madhevere for a duck with a sharp in-ducker.

Bennett, occasionally riding his luck, kept England at bay, reaching 139 off just 143 balls, including an impressive 26 fours, before he was dismissed.

He reached his century in 97 balls, breaking the record for the fastest Test ton by a Zimbabwe batsman, Sean Williams’s 106-ball effort against New Zealand at Bulawayo in 2016.

Bennett had a lifeline when dropped in the slips by Joe Root off paceman Stokes on 89 but the 21-year-old opener went to his hundred, his second in seven Tests, in style with three commanding fours off successive balls from fast bowler Atkinson.

“When I play my best that is my game-plan — to be positive,” said Bennett. “I saw the ball nicely.”

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Bennett, whose parents were in the crowd at Trent Bridge, added: “It is a huge honour to play for Zimbabwe in Test cricket, especially at such a young age.”

After tea, Bennett was brilliantly caught by a diving Ollie Pope at short leg as he fended at a rising delivery from the injury-plagued Tongue only for replays to reveal the fast bowler, playing his first Test in two years, had over-stepped.

But Bennett was unable to cash in. He was still on 139 when he fell to the same combination in similar fashion, with Pope taking a far simpler catch.

And 246-6 became 251-7 when Shoaib Bashir, who had struck twice before tea, bowled Tafadzwa Tsiga for 22 with a sharply turning delivery.

Zimbabwe’s innings ended when they were nine wickets down, with injured paceman Richard Ngarava unable to bat.

Off-spinner Bashir finished with figures of 3-62 after taking just two wickets in this season’s County Championship at a hugely expensive average of 152 apiece.

“It was nice to get the wickets there,” said the 21-year-old. “It was a pretty dominant day from us.

“Walking into the dressing room, as we say you stand six-foot tall. I’m very well supported here. It’s my happy place,” added Bashir, loaned to Glamorgan because he struggles to get into a Somerset team where Jack Leach is the specialist spinner.

England resumed Friday under sunny skies on an already commanding 498-3, with Pope 169 not out after openers Zak Crawley (124) and Ben Duckett (140) had also made hundreds.

But Pope had added just two runs when caught behind off Tanaka Chivanga, bringing in Stokes, who only managed nine runs.

Harry Brook punished Zimbabwe’s outclassed attack, hitting 58 off 50 balls, including six fours and three sixes.

He struck Blessing Muzarabani for successive sixes, a thumping pull followed by a remarkable pick-up shot that sailed high over fine leg.

Brook went to fifty with another six off Muzarabani before playing on to the persevering quick, who finished with 3-143.

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In a significant blow to India, fast bowler Mohammed Shami is set to miss the five-match Test series against England, starting from 20 June. 

Shami, 34, is currently playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League.

According to a report, the pacer who has not featured in a Test match for India since the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023 is highly unlikely to be picked in the squad due to the necessary workload for Test cricket.

The development came out following the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical committee member who travelled to assess Mohammed Shami ahead of SRH’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 23.

Meanwhile, his place in India’s squad is not confirmed, but selectors are highly likely to not pick him unless a complete medical assessment.

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The right-arm pacer recovered from the ankle surgery he suffered in February 2024, but started to feel pain in his right knee. Due to this, he has been undergoing treatment.

However, he has been able to continue bowling; his ability to gradually ramp up his workloads to Test match level has been affected.

Mohammed Shami has not been at his best in the IPL so far, picking up only six wickets in nine matches at an average of 56.16.

It is noteworthy to mention that India will tour England for a five-match Test series, scheduled to commence on 20 June.

England v India Test series schedule

• First Test – June 20-24, Headingley
• Second Test – July 2- 6, Edgbaston
• Third Test – July 10-14, Lord’s
• Fourth Test – July 23-27, Old Trafford
• Fifth Test – July 31-August 4, The Oval

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NOTTINGHAM: England star batter Joe Root on Thursday became the fastest batter to complete 13,000 Test runs during the ongoing one-off Test against Zimbabwe here at Trent Bridge.

Veteran Joe Root achieved the milestone when he completed 28 runs in the 80th over on Day 1 of the ongoing historic Test. He needed 28 runs to achieve the landmark before coming in to bat.

The right-handed batter is only the 5th batter overall and the first from England to accumulate this many runs in the longest format. In doing so, he surpassed the likes of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis

He is now the fifth player overall—and the first from England—to cross the 13,000-run mark in Test cricket. Tendulkar still leads the all-time list with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.

Fastest to reach 13000 Test runs (Matches)

• Joe Root (England) – 153
• Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 159
• Rahul Dravid (India) – 160
• Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 162
• Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 163

Joe Root made his Test debut against India in 2012 and has since become one of the most consistent batters in the longest format of the game.

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Root’s feat was the highlight of the outstanding opening day, which marked the beginning of the English summer.

England’s dominance was evident as they piled up 498-3 in 88 overs on the opening day.

The highlight of the first day was Ben Duckett’s (140) and Zak Crawley’s (124) mammoth opening stand. Both batters scored sublime centuries in a 231-run partnership before getting dismissed.

The opening pair’s centuries were followed by Ollie Pope’s magnificent 169*, who, along with Harry Brook (9), remained unbeaten at the end of day’s play.

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England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has supported head coach Brendon McCullum’s notion of being smarter with their comments ahead of a hugely important summer.

While speaking to the media ahead of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, Ben Stokes emphasized comments that England players had made in the past couple of years.

Ben Stokes, who will be playing his first competitive match since picking up a hamstring injury during last year’s tour of New Zealand, stated that comments made by himself, Brendon McCullum, and other players are sometimes misinterpreted when reported by the media.

“Yeah, I think what’s the messaging we have delivered over sort of last two and half or three years, let’s say has been for a multiple of reasons, you know the words that we say mean bigger things in our minds,” Ben Stokes said.

“I and Buzz [Brendon McCullum] and particular and sometimes when those sort of comments that we say come across in the media by some of the other lads that get heavily taken out of context,” Ben Stokes added.

Ben Stokes called for his team players to be smart with their words while taking the blame on himself for the interaction.

“I can totally understand that as to why that may frustrate or annoy fans, public. We always want public to be on our side. We know how much support we get and we value that incredibly.

“But now we have spoken about that and just be a little smarter about some of the comments that we, how we deliver it may be and I partly take a bit of blame for that as well because when sometimes I speak and I’ ve got a bigger meaning towards that does not mean everyone understand the bigger picture of that, if that makes sense, Ben Stokes explained.

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Earlier, Brendon McCullum suggested that his side is ‘shooting for the stars’ ahead of a packed summer, but urged that players need to remain humble.

The statement comes in light of criticism England players have faced for reacting to their losses in public.

A month earlier, England speedster Mark Wood admitted to the fact that the team players have said ‘dumb’ things in the media.

It is pertinent to mention that the three lions were also under immense criticism from former batter Kevin Pietersen for not training enough, particularly during the white-ball tour of India earlier this year.

For this reason, England’s managing director, Rob Key, also gave a statement in March that the [England] players need to “stop talking rubbish”.

For the unversed, England will start their summer with a one-off historic Test against Zimbabwe on Thursday. This will be Zimbabwe’s first on English soil in 23 years.

The match will be followed by a white-ball series against West Indies under new captain Harry Brook.  England will later face the challenge of India in a five-match Test series, starting from 20 June.

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LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday confirmed that star pacer Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the ODI series against the West Indies due to a right thumb injury.

The upcoming series will be the first under the newly appointed white-ball captain Harry Brooks, featuring three ODIs and as many T20Is.

According to the details,  Jofra Archer will be reassessed by the England medical team over the next fortnight to determine when he may return to action.

It’s important to note that Archer was excluded from the T20I series against the West Indies because he has been chosen to play for the England Lions against India A in Northampton, starting June 6.

He has not participated in a first-class match in four years and last played in one of his 13 Test matches in India in February 2021.

ECB has been gradually reintroducing him to international competition through white-ball cricket after a challenging spell of injuries.

However, they are eager for him to be part of the pace battery they plan to take to Australia this winter, aiming to win the Ashes overseas for the first time since 2010/11.

Unfortunately, his recent injury has made him doubtful for the England Lions’ red-ball match against India A.

Meanwhile, Lancashire’s Luke Wood has been added to England’s ODI squad for the three-match series, which begins on 29 May at Edgbaston.

England ODI Squad:

Harry Brook (Captain), Luke Wood,  Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton,  Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks,  Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith

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England T20I Squad:

Harry Brook (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood

England vs West Indies Series Schedule

1st ODI – Thursday 29 May 2025, Edgbaston, Birmingham
2nd ODI – Sunday 1 June 2025, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
3rd ODI – Tuesday 3 June 2025, Kia Oval, London

1st T20I – Friday 6th June 2025, Banks Home Riverside, Durham
2nd T20I – Sunday 8th June 2025, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol
3rd T20I – Tuesday 10th June, Utilita Bowl, Southampton

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England has named its playing XI for the one-off historic Test against Zimbabwe, which is set to commence on Thursday at Trent Bridge.

The four-day Test, marking the beginning of England’s summer, will be Zimbabwe’s first on English soil since 2003.

England is set to hand a debut to Sam Cook as head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed his place in the playing XI two days before the match.

Cook, 27, who has 321 wickets to his name in first-class cricket, will feature alongside a three-pronged pace attack. Josh Tongue is also returning to the team after being sidelined with injury for much of the past two years.

The England seam attack post Stuart Broad and James Anderson’s retirement is raw, with only 13 previous caps between them.

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The playing XI also features right-arm spinner Shoaib Bashir, who is retained, while Ben Stokes is gearing up to feature as an all-rounder after suffering an injury during the last Test against New Zealand in December.

Stokes has not played a competitive match since undergoing surgery on his hamstring.

Brendon McCullum admitted to the inexperience of the pace attack while stressing the desire to expand options available to his team.

“We’ve made no secret of us wanting to build a battery of fast bowlers. Knowing that when you’re you’re dealing at the elite level and you’re asking guys to play at 100% and leave it all out there, there’s going to be things which happen, which means guys are going to miss out,” he said.

“For us to walk into this Test match week, I feel like we’ve got a nice varied attack. It’s got some youth, and it’s got some inexperience, but these guys have also been around this group now for a decent amount of time, and they know how to operate,” he concluded.

England XI for Zimbabwe Test

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett,  Ollie Pope,  Joe Root, Harry Brook,  Ben Stokes (capt), James Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Sam Cook,  Shoaib Bashir

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England Test captain Ben Stokes has revealed the reason behind giving up Alcohol after a string of injuries that cast doubts over his career as an all-rounder.

Stokes was ruled out of all three formats of cricket after suffering a tear during the third Test against New Zealand last December. The all-rounder underwent surgery on his left hamstring in aid of recovery.

Ben Stokes has yet to play a competitive game ahead of England’s packed summer. The three Lions’ summer begins with a one-off historic Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on 22 May, marking the latter’s first on English soil in 23 years.

Now, Stokes has revealed the reason behind quitting Alcohol on a podcast.

”After my first major injury, I remember the shock of it, after the initial adrenaline had stopped, thinking: ‘How has this happened? We did have a bit of a drink four or five nights ago, could that have played a part? It wouldn’t have helped,” he said.

“Then I was like: ‘OK, I need to start changing what I do.’ I don’t think I’ll ever be completely sober, but I’ve not had a drink since 2 January,” he added.

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The 33-year-old shed light on his training methods, stressing the hard work away from the field to yield the best out of himself.

”I said to myself: ‘Not until I finish my injury rehab and get back on the field.”

“It’s just getting harder to do everything. Hence why now I feel like I have to work so much harder away from the field, in the gym, and all that kind of stuff to just give me the best chance of being out there to perform. But I’ll keep going as long as I possibly can.”

England Test skipper further emphasized on contrasting cricketing cultures of the ’90s and 2000s, highlighting the physical fatigue on the body.

”In the 90s and 00s there were unbelievable stories [about drinking]. It’s definitely settled down a lot over the years. The game is more demanding on the body than it was.

”There’s so much more cricket, there’s so much more in the schedule that it’s just impossible for the body to be able to withstand all of that anyway without the downsides of what a couple of beers at the end of the day can do to you for the next day,” he concluded.

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England Test team captain Ben Stokes has slammed critics of the national team’s training methods, calling them ‘utter rubbish’.

The England team’s training methods were scrutinized earlier this year, particularly during their white-ball tour of India.

Rob Key, the managing director of the England Cricket Board (ECB), addressed the criticism, stating that the notion of a relaxed, carefree environment was England’s own fault.

Now, the three Lions captain Ben Stokes has voiced his support for his team’s exceptional work ethic, mentioning that he is frustrated by their reputation.

“When you hear comments saying that we don’t train hard enough, we’re more bothered about golf, we don’t work hard enough, it’s just complete and utter [rubbish],” he said during an interview with Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports.

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The dynamic all-rounder stressed the demands of an international sportsman while admitting that without a work ethic, a player could not sustain his place.

“You’re not going to be able to be an international sportsman for a long period of time if you don’t have a work ethic. Everyone who walks into the Test team, into the white-ball team, their work ethic is incredible,” Stokes explained.

Ben Stokes further highlighted the specific methods of the England team, stating that their activities relieve the squad’s burden.

“There is a reason for everything that we do, because we feel it helps players, it helps the team, but it also is a way of taking the pressure of what we do off us, without adding more to it.

“There’s enough pressure on the shoulders of everyone who walks out there with the three lions on their chest, and what we try and do is take any extra, added pressure off the shoulders of people,” he concluded.

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Former New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has joined the England team as ‘Specialist Skills Consultant’ on a short-term deal ahead of a packed cricketing summer. 

Southee has replaced legendary fast bowler James Anderson in England’s coaching staff across formats. The pacer hanged up his boots last year during the home series against England.

Tim Southee finished his career as New Zealand’s all-time great, scalping a record 776 wickets across formats in international cricket.

He will join former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum ahead of England’s first Test of the summer, against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge next week.

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Tim Southee’s official designation in the England set-up will be “Specialist Skills Consultant;” however, his appointment is in effect a like-for-like replacement for James Anderson, who joined the English team as a consultant after raising the curtain on his 21-year Test career last July.

Tim Southee’s short-term will start working in his role from the one-off historic Test against Zimbabwe, beginning on 22 May. Furthermore, he will also look after the white-ball series against West Indies and the five Tests against India that get underway in June and July.

His stint will conclude after the Oval Test on August 4, after which he is expected to resume his playing career with Birmingham Phoenix in the Men’s Hundred.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) welcomed the pacer in the team, highlighting his extensive international experience across all formats.

“With his vast experience of playing in a wide range of conditions around the world and across all formats, [Southee] brings valuable insight and knowledge to the players,” the board said in a statement.

England’s upcoming fixtures:

One-off Test vs Zimbabwe 22-25 May – Only Test, Trent Bridge

ODIs vs West Indies:

May 29 – 1st ODI, Edgbaston

June 1 – 2nd ODI, Sophia Gardens

June 3 – 3rd ODI, The Oval

T20Is vs West Indies:

June 6 – 1st T20I, Durham

June 8 – 2nd T20I, Bristol

June 10 – 3rd T20I, Southampton

Tests vs India:

June 20-24 – First Test, Headingley

July 2- 6 – Second Test, Edgbaston

July 10-14 – Third Test, Lord’s

July 23-27 – Fourth Test, Old Trafford

July 31-August 4 – Fifth Test, The Oval

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