Daily Briefing: The next era of Indian cricket
We begin today with a chilling case that seems right out of a Netflix thriller. Sample this: Jain Mathew, 55, went missing in December last year. For months, the police investigation hit a dead end — until two weeks ago, when someone used Jain's mobile phone to make a call. That single call led police to a surprising suspect: 68-year-old Sebastian, a wealthy man who hadn't even been on their radar. His arrest triggered a chain of revelations. Investigators could connect Sebastian to three other missing women cases, spanning nearly 20 years: Bindu Padmanabhan (2006), Aysha (2012), and Sindhu (2020). He was arrested after police recovered charred remains from a pit on his property. My colleague Shaju Philip has more details.
On that note, let's get to the rest of today's edition.
The young guns have done it! The England vs India Test series ended in a stunning 2-2 draw after both sides fought tooth and nail to secure victory. England was chasing 35 runs and India had four wickets to take at the start of the match on Monday. It was bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna's time to shine. One by one, the wickets fell, until England was just six runs away from a 3-1 victory. And they were willing to fight till the end. Chris Woakes was at the pitch with a dislocated shoulder, his one arm in a sling. All they needed was a shot over the ropes. Then Siraj, the tireless warrior, stepped in with a deadly yorker, handing England a crushing defeat.
The series will go on to define the next era of Indian cricket. This was the first Test series without stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin. But the young team showed that they didn't miss the retired batting giants. When India's trusted fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah had to be rested, Siraj stepped up, leading the bowling attack. Later, Siraj would reveal how he manifested the win with a phone wallpaper with just one word: Believe.
Moreover, Shubhman Gill came into his own as the captain, showing he could be both Kohli and Sharma. But he also showed that he wasn't either of them. The coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the selectors would involve him in the selection process, allowing him to take the final call. Read national sports editor Sandeep Dwivedi's riveting profile of Gill and how his hunger for perfection keeps him going.
The English camp would have plenty of takeaways as well. As Sriram Veera points out, England must now reckon with the reality that their much-hyped Bazball philosophy may have done more harm than good. If anything, this young Indian team has exposed the mediocrity of the cricketing approach that Ben Stokes and his side continue to champion.
Also read: How Prasidh Krishna found redemption in England
Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated on August 5, 2019, reorganising the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. The move was billed as the turning point that would bring peace and development to the Valley. In these past six years, a lot has changed in J&K. Political activity has resumed, but questions of full statehood hang heavy on the government. The recent Pahalgam terror attack has exposed gaps in the 'normalcy' narrative. We take a comprehensive look at the past six years.
In our Opinion pages, meanwhile, Haseeb A Drabu, former finance minister of J&K, spotlights how the abrogation belied promises of economic prosperity, when in reality the UTs face a growth slowdown and high unemployment rates. Read.
Unfair: Amid US President Donald Trump's criticisms of India's purchase of Russian oil and the subsequent tariff threats, New Delhi has issued a sharp response. A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs asserted that the targeting of India was unjust and unreasonable, given that the US and the European Union continue to trade with Russia.
Meanwhile, as an India-US trade deal remains elusive, and the tariff deadline (August 7) looms near, one question is resonating in New Delhi's policy circles: What does a bad deal look like? The answer lies in the US-EU trade agreement, which is now being seen as a lopsided arrangement.
Eye-opening: As eyewear unicorn Lenskart prepares for its Initial Public Offering (IPO), it filed the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), aiming to raise Rs 2,150 crore through a fresh issue. Beyond its financials, the DRHP offers a lens into India's $10-billion eyewear market, one shaped by worsening eyesight among children, too much screen time, and too few optometrists.
Rest in peace: Shibu Soren, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM co-founder, passed away on Monday after a prolonged illness. Soren, known for his charisma and candour, was a cult-like figure among adivasis. From consolidating the Jharkhandi identity to fighting for its statehood, read all about Soren's political journey.
Does the idea of doing nothing sound intriguing to you? Well, slow living is just that. But not in an unproductive, lazy way. Slow living is the deliberate act of giving your mind space to rest, wander, and simply be. Read my colleague Stela Dey's piece on why more and more millennials and Gen Z are choosing cosy night-ins over night-outs.
🎧 Before you go, do tune in to today's '3 Things' podcast episode, where the host sits down with reporters Sadak Modak and Apurva Vishwanath to break down the verdict that acquitted all accused in the Malegaon blast case.
That's all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta
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Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
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R Ashwin gives Ben Stokes a taste of his own medicine as Woakes blow leaves England handicapped: 'You reap what you sow'
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Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
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Stuart Broad refuses to pick between Joe Root, Shubman Gill at first, but final decision leaves Jos Buttler shellshocked
Legendary paceman Stuart Broad has picked his combined playing XI from the recently concluded five-Test series between India and England, in which he snubbed the highest run-getter Shubman Gill. Broad, who was commentating during the series, had a ringside view of the action, allowing him to closely follow the fiercely contested battles that unfolded across all 25 days. The series ended in a 2-2 draw on the final day of the fifth Test, with Mohammed Siraj uprooting Gus Atkinson's off-stump to help India claim a 6-run win at the Oval. It was a series dominated by the batters with 21 centuries scored in it, but in the end, it was the bowlers who had the final say, with Siraj being the standout of all. Shubman Gill and Joe Root were the top-two run getters in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.(AP) Broad's blended lineup, which he picked on 'For The Love of Cricket' podcast during a chat with Jos Buttler, showcased the players who made decisive impacts on matches. He didn't pick any of the English openers in the XI and went ahead with the Indian pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Duckett played a crucial role in England Headingley's triumph, scoring a century during the big chase. However, after that, his performance dipped a bit as he failed to convert the starts into big scores. Meanwhile, the Indian pair displayed solid consistency throughout the series, especially KL Rahul, who scored 532 runs and filled the big shoes of Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. The English players acquired the next four spots in Broad's lineup: Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Stokes. Pope got the edge over Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair despite scoring just 306 runs. The Indian batters in contention failed to show any consistency and were also in and out of side. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who scored 754 runs and was named Player of the Series, was the big omission from the XI. Broad picked Root over him, which also surprised Buttler. When Buttler asked the English pace great to pick between Buttler and Gill, he said, 'Ohh piss off, you want me to choose between Root and Gill, I can see the headlines now. Shubman Gill has just scored the most runs as a Test captain behind Don Bradman in a series, and Joe Root has gone second on the all-time list, scoring 3 centuries back to back and scored his 39th Test ton.' Also Read | Shubman Gill proves he is the right man to lead India, but questions linger over who has the final say in Playing XI Buttler insisted Broad to make the call, and then the former pacer said, "Well, only because I've got Joe Root's mobile number and don't want the abuse, so I'm gonna go Joe Root." The former English captain was shocked by Broad's pick and replied, 'Unbelievable. I can't believe that.' Rishabh Pant, despite suffering a fracture during the Manchester Test, was preferred over Jamie Smith, whose promising start to the series was followed by a lack of consistency. His struggles outside off-stump were exposed by the Indian batters at the Oval. No Ravindra Jadeja in Broad's XI Another big omission from Broad's XI was Ravindra Jadeja, who was not chosen in his XI, despite the senior all-rounder scoring 516 runs, including five fifties and a century, as Broad felt he was not up to the mark with the ball. However, he did pick Washington Sundar on his side. Completing the lineup, Broad opted for a fearsome fast-bowling trio. Jofra Archer adds raw pace and adaptability, Mohammed Siraj brings relentless energy and aggression, while Jasprit Bumrah stands out with his unmatched control and swing. Stuart Broad's combined XI from India vs England series: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Jofra Archer, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
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14 minutes ago
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Stokes as captain, Rahul and Duckett as openers: India and England's combined XI for the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
The five-match series between hosts England and India for the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy ended in a 2-2 draw with the Shubman Gill-led visitors pulling off a thrilling 6-run victory in the series finale at The Oval on Monday. Check out the combined XI at the end of the series here. read more
