Oval Test: Gautam Gambhir faces heat for Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav omission
Kuldeep Yadav's continued omission has also baffled fans. The left-arm wrist-spinner has been in good form and is widely considered a potent attacking option, especially in the middle overs when the ball softens. However, he will end the series without playing a single Test, having warmed the bench for the entire two-month tour.One of the most debated decisions was the inclusion of Karun Nair. The domestic stalwart made his return to the Test side this series but failed to deliver with the bat. Despite his lack of form, he retained his place at the expense of all-rounder Shardul Thakur, a player known for contributing with both bat and ball in overseas conditions. Many felt the decision weakened India's balance. India's decision to beef up the batting order comes as a surprise, considering they came really close to a win in Manchester without having someone like Rishabh Pant in the side due to his injury in the second innings. Social media was quick to react. Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration with team management, and some even questioned Shubman Gill's luck at the toss. Gill, in his first series as Test captain, lost all five tosses, a detail not lost on supporters.FANS SLAM GAMBHIR'S SELECTION CALLS"Shubman Gill has lost all 5 tosses in a row, unbelievable," one fan posted.Another fan went so far as to compare the current team setup to one of Indian cricket's most criticized periods. "Watching Gambhir era, Greg Chappell era feels like golden period of Indian cricket," he wrote.Some fans also did not mince their words when reacting to Karun Nair's continued selection. One post read, "No Kuldeep, no Arshdeep. Hopefully, this will be the last match for Karun Nair as a player and Gautam Gambhir as the coach. Pathetic team selection."Questions were also raised about possible bias or lack of trust in Kuldeep Yadav. "Does Gautam Gambhir have any issues with Kuldeep? He has not given him a single chance to play in this series," one user asked.In fact, the treatment of Kuldeep led another fan to suggest that the spinner should consider stepping away from Test cricket for the time being. "If I am Kuldeep Yadav, I am voluntarily removing myself from consideration for future Tests as long as Gambhir and his team are involved. Two months in England just to bowl in the nets and carry drinks. Disrespectful," the fan wrote.advertisementAs India takes the field at The Oval hoping to draw the series, the spotlight is firmly on Gambhir and the decisions made under his leadership. While results may still swing in India's favour, the criticism surrounding team selection is unlikely to fade anytime soon.India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj- EndsMust Watch
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First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
Brook and Root's zen-like batting, Indian pace fight back sets up fitting denouement to dramatic Test series at The Oval
How we got there though was the most electric day of cricket, a fitting denouement to a series that has promised much and been closely fought but in reality has lacked this sort of dramatic flair. read more Harry Brook and Joe Root slammed centuries and added 195 runs for the fourth wicket, nearly steering England to victory on Day 4 of the fifth Test at The Oval. Reuters Well good luck sleeping after that. India and England will return to The Oval on Day Five – the abandonment of play with so little left to run in the game adding a touch of farce to a . The equation: England need 35 runs, India three wickets plus potentially the scalp of a one-armed man – Chris Woakes' participation still a matter of speculation. How we got there though was the most electric day of cricket, a fitting denouement to a series that has promised much and been closely fought but in reality has lacked this sort of dramatic flair. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD England arrived needing 324 more runs from a target of 374, the sound of Zak Crawley's stumps still faintly clattering in their ears from the night before. History suggests nobody really chases that much – only nine larger targets have been successfully hunted down in Test history. But wait, not all was as it seems, one of those chases was a Bazballian masterclass against India themselves in 2022 and only four Tests ago in this series England chased down 371 to win at Headingley – history might be with them after all. From this almost cartoonishly alluring set up the day could surely only disappoint. Well no, as it happens… Brook, Root nearly take England home England started determinedly but a world away from the rat-a-tat scoring pace that they like to impose on the opposition – India's tricky trio of seamers making runs a commodity hard to come by. Every play and miss or half chance for the tourists greeted with cheers and whistles from the Indian half of a crowd with evenly divided loyalties. The anticipatory smell of wickets hung in the air. England were battling bravely but not going anywhere fast, the stoic fight of a team almost certainly heading to defeat but doing so with a stiff upper lip. The wickets did come, Duckett then Pope, England three down (plus Woakes) with victory still a speck on the horizon 268 runs away. The only thing that could rescue England was an unfathomably large partnership – a distant dream that Joe Root and Harry Brook soon set about delivering. Every boundary from Brook & Root's incredible partnership 🤝 195 runs 🏏 24 boundaries 💥 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 3, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It started with a moment of high drama, Brook caught on the boundary by Mohammad Siraj on 19, only for him to step on the rope – from out to six in the blink of a clumsily-placed stride – an almost unnecessarily cruel blow for India's most wholehearted competitor in this series. As reprieves go it looked like being game changing, suddenly Root and Brook were batting in a zen-like state, picking off singles wherever they pleased, toying with India as they ticked the runs and milestones down – Brook notching a 10th Test match hundred with half an hour to go before the tea break. With just 73 more needed it seemed England were going to do it with a hand tied behind their back – take note Chris Woakes – the drums, shouts and whistles from the once vociferous Indian section of the crowd a long forgotten memory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Another twist in the tale This day though had more twists in store. Brook would go, the inevitability of an England win trudging back to the pavilion with him. The fervour of Indian support had been restored, suddenly the tourists were bowling on a minefield that had only just seemed like a road. Pacer Prasidh Krishna struck twice after tea on Day 4 of the fifth Test at The Oval, dismissing Jacob Bethell and a well-set Joe Root. Reuters It seemed Root bringing up his hundred had tipped the momentum back in England's favour, but India had other plans. Suddenly the runs that had flowed all day have never looked harder to come by, England were bogged down by India's relentlessly committed pace attack. Bethell went, then Root, the 35 runs England needed for victory seeming impossible when only a few hours before 200 had seemed like a formality. Then the rain, the gratification of a result in this Test delayed. The sickening thrill of a match whose status is now 'overnight' – cricket's magical limbo where anything could happen the next day. 35 runs or four wickets? Monday will have the answers.
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
'Lazy decision to call it off: Broad strongly slams the decision to call stumps early on Day 4 at The Oval
Rain hampered play in the final hour of the Day 4 of the Oval Test, which was heading towards a thrilling conclusion. With rain falling stumps were called and thus the match has been pushed to Day 5. read more After a phenomenal sequence of play that reached the extent of thrill, it is the rain that had the last laugh on Day 4, and subsequently, the to the fifth and final day. The match was heading towards a dramatic conclusion as India had stormed its way back with two quick wickets of Jacob Bethell and Joe Root in the final session, whereas England needed 35 more runs to seal the series. It was anybody's game, but the rain gods decided to have a say in the game again. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After considering all the factors, the umpires decided to call it a day, and stumps were declared on Day 4, almost 20 minutes prior to the official time. Broad Blasts Early Stumps Decision Former England pacer Stuart Broad slammed the call and tagged it as 'lazy decision'. According to Broad, given that the conclusion of the game was at a touching distance, the day could have been extended, and play could have resumed in another 20 minutes. Brook further stated that the spectators deserved a climax of the Test on Day 4 itself. 'Still 20 mins away from possible start time, everyone has their sunglasses on at the train station. Felt the supporters deserved to see a finish to that Test Match today. Felt a lazy decision to call it off at 6 pm in my opinion. I wonder who makes it?' Broad wrote on a social media platform X. Still 20 mins away from possible start time, everyone has their sunglasses on at the train station. Felt the supporters deserved to see a finish to that Test Match today. Felt a lazy decision to call it off at 6pm in my opinion. I wonder who makes it? — Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 3, 2025 Oval Test set up for a thrilling finish on Day 5 While the rain drama has dragged the Test match, considering the fact that the previous four Tests of the series also went down to the wire on Day 5, it was written in the stars that the fifth and final Test will also conclude on Day 5. India will have a reason to complain as the momentum had shifted rapidly in their favour in the final phase of Day 4. However, in order to save the series, the Indian bowlers will have to return with the same hunger and increased zeal to take the remaining three wickets. As for England, they will start the day needing another 35 runs. With three wickets in hand and only that many runs remaining, the action is certainly not going beyond the morning session, unless the weather spoils sport again. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Rain, bad light halt England charge towards series win after Harry Brook, Joe Root tons
Rain interrupts on day 4 of India vs England Anderson Tendulkar Trophy. (PIC - PTI) New Delhi: The fifth Test between India and England is being played at the Oval. England has scored 339 runs with five wickets down in aiming for the target of 374 runs set by India. England is 35 runs away from victory on the fifth day. India is four wickets away from victory. Why was Day 4 interrupted? Umpire interrupted play on the fourth day due to rain. Jamie Smith was in the middle after scoring two runs, and Jamie Overton has not yet opened his account. For India, three wickets have been lost to Prasidh Krishna and two wickets to Siraj. What happened on Day 4? On the fourth day of the match, India dismissed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope in the morning session. Duckett scored 54 runs off 83 balls before getting dismissed. Siraj dismissed Ollie Pope after he scored 27 runs off 34 balls. Harry Brook scored 111 runs off 98 balls before he was dismissed by Akash Deep. Brook put up a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket with Root. Jacob Bethell managed to score only 5 runs off 31 balls. Joe Root scored 105 runs off 152 balls before getting dismissed. England is currently ahead in the five-match Test series 2-1. The old ball which was not doing a thing in the afternoon session started aiding the pacers and the scoreboard hardly moved. Suddenly the remaining 37 runs seemed a long way off. Jamie Overton and Jamie Smith were in the middle when bad light stopped play with the momentum in India''s favour. England were 339 for six and new ball just 3.4 overs away. Rain followed soon, taking the match to day five. In the afternoon session, an epic 195-run stand off 211 balls between Brook and Root took the wind out India's sails as England coasted to 317 for four at tea. The three Indian pacers could not much out of the pitch with a softer ball and the two spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja too proved ineffective although to be fair to them they weren't given lengthy spells.
