London: The proof that heart and hunger can trump experience in a contest was reinforced in the form of Shubman Gill’s spirited young Indian side, which defied expectations in English conditions to draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 2-2 with a thrilling six-run win in the fifth and final Test at The Oval here.
Before the start of the series, many pundits had predicted a 1-4 defeat for India, citing the absence of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R. Ashwin, and a seam-friendly English summer.
Yet, under first-time Test captain Gill, a fearless bunch of youngsters rose to the occasion, fought fire with fire, and delivered a result that few had dared to imagine.
There were moments of heartbreak along the way, as injuries forced key players like Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy to withdraw from the series. But the visitors never backed down. Their fierce attitude, especially from a raw pace attack powered by Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep, drew admiration even from a partisan English crowd at The Oval.
(Photo courtesy: X@ICC)
India’s youngsters matched the hosts punch for punch. In the absence of experience, grit and belief became India’s calling cards.
Gill, still only 24, was scrutinised for his tactical decisions, particularly during England’s fast-scoring middle sessions. However, his calm temperament, willingness to trust his bowlers, and refusal to panic in crunch moments proved decisive.
A 2-2 result marks a landmark achievement for Indian cricket’s Next-Gen brigade. Most importantly, it sends a strong message that even without marquee names, India have the bench strength to remain a formidable force overseas — thanks to the efforts of brave, talented players who are unfazed by the huge expectations they always have to shoulder while playing for the country.
With Gill at the helm of a young and fearless bunch of cricketers, India's future in Test cricket looks bright, and the next generation of its stars may well have descended on the world stage.
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We put pressure on England and it worked: Gill London: After their incredible six-run victory in the fifth Test at The Oval, India skipper Shubman Gill said their strategy of keeping England under pressure on day five’s play proved to be successful. On day five, India picked the remaining four wickets for 28 runs to win the match and level the five-game Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 2-2. "Every Test we came on day four and day five never knowing who was going to win. It just shows that both the teams came with their A game and I am very happy to get over the line in this one." "There was a bit of pressure on us but I think the way we came through that spell was magnificent for us. Pressure makes you do things you don't want to and we wanted them to feel it as they looked to chase all those runs," said Gill in the post-match presentation ceremony. India’s surreal win was led by Mohammed Siraj’s 5-104 and Prasidh Krishna’s 4-126. "When you have bowlers like Siraj and Prasidh, captaincy seems easy. They were making the ball talk. He (Siraj) is a captain’s dream, every ball, every spell he bowled he came all out and gave it everything for the team,” added Gill. Gill also became India’s Player of the Series, which was adjudicated by England coach Brendon McCullum for being the series leading run-getter in what was also his first assignment as the side’s Test captain. |
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India's Oval thriller lifts them to third in WTC standings London: India’s thrilling six-run victory over England in the fifth Test at The Oval not only helped them draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2, but also gave their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 campaign a much-needed lift. With this result, India climbed to third place in the WTC standings, having earned 28 points from five matches with a points percentage (PCT) of 46.67. The win was hard-fought and dramatic. England started the final day needing just 35 runs with four wickets in hand, but Indian pacers, led by Mohammed Siraj’s five-for, produced a sensational turnaround to snatch their narrowest-ever wins in terms of runs. It was a significant result for a young Indian side missing senior players, and it came at a time when questions around the team’s transition in Test cricket had been raised. England, who were in a strong position to close out the series, now find themselves in fourth place on the WTC table with 26 points and a PCT of 43.33. Their position was further impacted by a two-point penalty for maintaining a slow over-rate during the second Test at Lord’s. Australia currently lead the standings with 36 points from three matches and a perfect 100 per cent PCT, after completing a 3-0 series sweep over the West Indies. Sri Lanka follows in second place, having collected 16 points from two matches and a PCT of 66.67, courtesy of a 1-0 home series win against Bangladesh. Bangladesh, with one draw and one loss from two matches, sit in fifth place with four points and a PCT of 16.67. The West Indies are sixth, having lost all three of their matches and earned no points so far in the cycle. |
