We will never surrender: Gautam Gambhir's first reaction to India's Oval Test win
Gambhir had stuck to his strategy of playing an extra batter instead of a specialist bowler — a decision questioned in several quarters. However, his captain backed him unequivocally. After the win, Shubman Gill praised Gambhir's influence, revealing how the former opener had helped instil belief in the side."Before this series, Gauti bhai told us, 'We are a young team, but we don't want to be seen as a young team. We want to be seen as a gun team.' Today, we showed we are a gun team with so much potential,' Gill told Sony Sports.England vs India, 5th Test Day 5 HighlightsEngland had looked in control during their 374-run chase, thanks to a 195-run fourth-wicket stand between centurions Harry Brook and Joe Root. The pair tore into the Indian attack in the second session on Saturday, seemingly batting England to a historic win.At 301 for 3, England appeared to be cruising — until Prasidh Krishna turned the tide with the crucial dismissal of Root. Rain curtailed the fourth day, but on Monday morning, Mohammed Siraj produced a hostile and inspired spell. Ably supported by Prasidh, Siraj sealed a remarkable win for India with a five-wicket haul.Time and again, in the final Test and across the five-match series, India refused to back down, even when cornered. After being bowled out for just 224 in the first innings at The Oval — having lost the toss — India watched England's openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, get off to a blistering start. At 109 for 1, England looked set for a dominant lead, but Siraj and Prasidh turned the game, claiming four wickets each to restrict the hosts' lead to just 23.India then mounted a formidable second-innings effort, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a century and vital half-centuries coming from nightwatchman Akash Deep and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Their combined effort pushed India to 396, setting England a daunting 374 to win.India had started the series with a heavy defeat in Leeds but bounced back in Birmingham, becoming the first Asian side to win a Test at Edgbaston. They suffered a heartbreaking 22-run loss at Lord's, failing to chase 195, before salvaging a gutsy draw in Manchester. The Oval Test brought the series to a dramatic close, with India denying England a home series win and retaining the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in style.- EndsMust Watch
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Suryakumar Yadav returns to training after surgery, eyes Asia Cup 2025
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Mint
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Young Indian brigades summer explosion in England narrows the path of seniors Kohli, Rohit
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Suryakumar returns to action after surgery with Asia Cup 2025 in sight
India's preparations for the Asia Cup 2025 received a timely boost as T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav resumed batting at the National Cricket Academy's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in late July. The explosive batter, who had undergone sports hernia surgery earlier this year in Germany, is now steadily progressing towards full fitness under the careful supervision of the BCCI medical team. His return to active cricketing drills signals optimism for India, with the Asia Cup just weeks away and the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign beginning to take shape. Notably, India beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the last edition's final to win their eighth Asia Cup title. Recovery in full swing ahead of Asia Cup Suryakumar, who had publicly shared news of his successful surgery in Munich back in June, has now begun structured training. Reports suggest that his workload will be ramped up significantly in the coming weeks as he builds towards match readiness. If his progress continues without setbacks, the 34-year-old is expected to be match-fit in time for the Asia Cup, which begins on September 9 in the UAE. The Indian squad is likely to assemble and travel in the first week of September, using the tournament as a crucial platform to fine-tune combinations ahead of a busy international calendar. Surya's impressive run as T20I captain Suryakumar assumed T20I captaincy following India's T20 World Cup win in June 2024, after Rohit Sharma stepped down from the shortest format. Despite his recent surgery, Surya had been in prime form prior to the layoff. During IPL 2025, he amassed a staggering 717 runs — the highest ever by a Mumbai Indians player in a single season and a record for most runs by a non-opener in the league's history. He also registered an unprecedented streak of 16 consecutive 25+ scores, setting a global benchmark. ALSO READ: India's T20 transformation Under Suryakumar's leadership, India's T20I side has embraced a more aggressive and flexible batting approach. The team notched multiple 200+ totals, including 297 against Bangladesh in October 2024 — the second-highest score in T20I history. His return offers India both leadership and firepower, just when they need it most.
