02-08-2025
Gambhir and his gang of baddies redefine India vs England rivalry; spicy series threatens to topple the crown off Ashes
The fifth Test at The Oval isn't just a decider in the cricketing sense. What began in Leeds with a gritty, statement-making win for England has morphed into one of the most emotionally charged bilateral contests in modern cricket. India vs England is no longer just a fixture between two quality Test teams. It's starting to feel like a rivalry on the cusp of Ashes-level ferociousness. India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill look on as groundkeeper Lee Fortis walks towards them during practice (Action Images via Reuters)
When Gautam Gambhir clashed with Lee Fortis over pitch preparation ahead of the fifth Test, it looked, on the surface, like a heavyweight picking on a featherweight. But that incident, trivial in isolation, wasn't an outburst. It was also the consequence of four brutally competitive Tests, with the previous two also seeing tensions simmering between players already stretched taut with adrenaline. It also followed Gambhir's fiery speech at the Indian High Commission ahead of the final Test, where he touched upon the historical context of the rivalry, far beyond the cricketing field. 'Touring this part of the world has always been exciting and challenging because of the history between the two countries, which can never be forgotten,' Gambhir had said.
The signs had been building all series. At Lord's, Zak Crawley's time-wasting tactics drew visible ire. Indian captain Shubman Gill didn't mince words, calling out England's 'spirit of cricket' double standards. The next exchange came in Manchester, where England were denied the chance to force a draw on their own terms, and they didn't hide their displeasure.
In the final Test at The Oval, things threatened to boil over once again. Akash Deep's pointed send-off to Ben Duckett, unnecessary, perhaps, but very much deliberate, lit the fuse. The explosion came again, when Prasidh Krishna engaged in a heated exchange with Joe Root of all people. Root, typically one of the calmest heads in the game, snapped. He barked back to the surprise of many.
Prasidh admitted it was planned. 'That was also the plan,' he said after the day's play. 'I didn't expect such a big reaction from him.'
What's changed? The aggression, once mostly flowing in one direction, is now mirrored. Virat Kohli's combative legacy has found successors, both in attitude and impact. These aren't inheritors of a bygone era; they're active agents in a rivalry that is no longer defined by geography or status, but by personal stake and performance pride.
What began as a transitional tour is now reaching a point where both sides are locked in, emotionally and competitively. There is no buffer anymore. Add to it, some of the brightest individual performances by Indian batters on English soil: Shubman Gill threatening to break Sunil Gavaskar's Indian record for most runs in a series, KL Rahul breaking the 500-run barrier, and Rishabh Pant showing incredible resistance to injuries across the third and fourth Tests. With tempers flaring and stakes rising, this series has become a full-throttle contest where every run and gesture carries weight.
The boiling points stretch far beyond the current series, too. Ganguly's bare-chested reply to Flintoff at Lord's. Zaheer Khan and the jelly beans. Rishabh Pant chirping at close-in fielders. Shubman Gill asking James Anderson to consider retirement. Crawley clapping back with time-wasting antics and Gill and his team returning the favour with theatrical applause. And now, Prasidh going after Root and succeeding in rattling England's most experienced batter. These are not isolated incidents. They're chapters in a rivalry that keeps rewriting itself.
An evolved rivalry
It's no longer just cricket. England, the game's traditional custodians, are no longer comfortably seated at the head of the table. India, both on and off the field, now wields the heft. Every series between these two sides comes with residue, and the matches are intense.
As the series wraps up, the narrative is no longer about a team winning or losing. It's about two sides that refuse to give an inch. It's fully ablaze, and it may just be the biggest thing in Test cricket after the Ashes. If not already.
