Jacob Bethell, Sam Cook to leave England squad after India Test snub: Report

England batter Jacob Bethell and pacer Sam Cook are reportedly set to leave the England squad midway through the ongoing five-match Test series against India. The duo, both overlooked for the third Test at Headingley, will now return to play in the County Championship for Warwickshire and Essex respectively.Bethell, who had been in contention for a place in the playing XI, was left out in favour of Ollie Pope. The 21-year-old, who enjoyed a strong Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, had carried that form into the limited-overs series against West Indies, scoring 82 in the first ODI and contributing impactful cameos of 23*, 26 (10), and 36* (16) in the T20I series, which England won 3-0. However, according to BBC, he will now head back to Warwickshire to maintain his red-ball rhythm, as his wait for a fourth Test cap continues.advertisementENG vs IND, 1st Test Day 1: Updates
Meanwhile, Sam Cook has also been released from the England squad after missing out on a place in the Headingley XI. England opted to bring back experienced seamer Chris Woakes, who returned from an ankle injury that had sidelined him since December last year. Woakes' return meant there was no room for Cook, who had been hoping to add to his solitary Test appearance.Cook has been in impressive form in County Cricket for Essex and was seen as a promising option with the ball. But with England favouring experience for the crucial Headingley clash, the 27-year-old will now shift focus back to domestic cricket in hopes of earning another national call-up.Both players will look to continue their strong domestic performances as they wait for another opportunity at the international level.advertisementEngland won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Headingley Test. India got off to a strong start, with openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal dominating most of the first session. However, Brydon Carse broke the momentum by dismissing Rahul, and Ben Stokes followed up by removing debutant Sai Sudharsan for a duck, shifting the momentum just before lunch on Day 1.

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India Today

24 minutes ago

• India Today

ENG vs IND, 1st Test: Gill and Jaiswal smash tons as India's NextGen pummel England

India's next-gen stars headlined a dominating day on Day 1 of the first Test against England as Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) and Shubman Gill (127*) emerged as top scorers. A revamped Indian team, following the retirements of senior players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, walked out to play their first series without any of the trio for the first time since June there were no qualms in the young side, who couldn't have asked for a better beginning to their new era under the leadership of captain Shubman Gill as they finished Day 1 on 359/3 at Headingley, Leeds. A day highlighted by scintillating centuries from Jaiswal and Gill sent the message across to the entire world that even without the seniors, the new-look Indian team cannot be taken day began with England captain Ben Stokes winning the toss and putting India into bat first — a decision he ended up regretting at the end of the day. Tasked with the responsibility of seeing off the new ball, KL Rahul and Jaiswal showed great maturity at the crease, leaving deliveries outside off stump. ENG vs IND 1st Test Day 1 HighlightsRahul, Jaiswal give great startadvertisementThe duo quickly found their feet, feeding of loose deliveries from England, who looked clueless for the majority of the first session. As a result, Jaiswal and Rahul added 91 runs for the first wicket as India hoped to close out the session without any casualties. However, their plans were shattered by Brydon Carse, who got the edge of Rahul's bat to Joe Root at second balls later, Sai Sudharsan failed to impress on his debut, getting strangled down the leg side against Ben Stokes for a four-ball duck as India went into lunch on 92/2. In the second session, out walked Shubman Gill as the new captain of the Test side, determined to bail his team out of the hole after two quick at number four for the first time in his career, a place previously held by his idol Virat Kohli, Gill was up to the task as he did full justice to the sacred position. After surviving a close run-out chance on just his sixth ball, Gill gave no chances whatsoever to the England side as he batted with a strong resolve to prove his naysayers wrong with every India skipper raced to his half-century off just 56 balls, playing some sumptuous shots en route to his landmark. At the other end, Jaiswal also brought up his half century, playing second fiddle to his captain. However, he quickly shifted his gears and took giant strides towards the magical three-figure continues rapid rise in TestsadvertisementJaiswal was also spotted struggling with cramps as he moved into the 90s, but wasn't willing to return without having a three-figure score against his name. He brought up his hundred on the stroke of tea with a quick single and continued his love affair of going big in his first Test matches in overseas he was dismissed shortly after, being cleaned up by Ben Stokes from around the wicket. With India on 227/3 in the third session, England were hoping to turn things around with a flurry of wickets as the audacious Rishabh Pant walked out to bat. The wicketkeeper started in his usual fashion, using his feet against Ben Stokes on just his second ball and hitting him for a Gill arrives with a hundredIt also led to fun banter between him and Stokes, who was left amused by Pant's adventurous hit. After attacking initially, Pant reserved himself and batted quite uncharacteristically as India were unwilling to let go of a great the other end, Gill also played with caution as he neared his maiden overseas hundred. Staying true to his words from the press conference of aiming to become the best batter of the series, Gill batted with authority, finding the gaps in the field with the utmost also brought up his sixth Test century and etched his name into the record books, becoming the fifth India captain to achieve the landmark on captaincy debut. He reached the three-figure mark with a magnificent cover drive as if to pay tribute to the man whom he replaced at the batting Pant's audacious end to the dayAmid the classy shots from Gill's bat, Rishabh Pant also stole the limelight by playing in his usual berserk manner. He finally unleashed himself against Bashir after showing restraint for 40 balls. In no time, the trademark Pant shots came to the fore as he began charging down the track against both spin and seam, leaving England bowlers scratching their it was the last over of the day's play, it didn't matter to Pant, who continued to dance down the track, whacking bowlers all around the park. He finished the day on 65* (102), adding an unbeaten 138 runs with Gill for the fourth wicket, taking India to 359/3 at Watch

Time of India

39 minutes ago

• Time of India

IND vs ENG: Shubman's coronation at Headingley - Gill steps into Virat Kohli's shoes with ton at No 4

Shubman Gill (Getty Images) in Leeds: There was a rare outburst of emotion when Shubman Gill 's cover-drive raced through the practice pitches and thudded over the boundary cushions. The helmet was off in a flash; a wild swing of the arm followed as India's new Test skipper celebrated his hundred on his captaincy debut. It wasn't an unusual sight, and it certainly was an unusual occasion, so much so that it nearly made the youngster skip his usual bow-down celebration. The hug with his deputy Rishabh Pant was probably the cue to pose for the photographers as the 25-year-old made a very strong statement by scoring a gorgeous hundred at the Headingley Cricket Ground. From the moment he came out to bat, there was a sense of urgency in his approach. That urgency could have cost him his wicket when he went for a tight single off his sixth ball but had the rub of the green on his side, and Ollie Pope missing the stumps gave him an early reprieve. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! A testing little period followed as England attacked the right-hander's stumps and probed the corridor just outside the off-stump, but a tight approach and very little help from the surface meant he survived and then cashed in on the fuller length. The hosts kept searching for the glory ball when he walked out to bat, but even the change in length didn't extract a lot of purchase from the surface and turned out to be easy pickings for the Indian skipper, who put on a masterclass. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo A gorgeous masterclass. 'Wait until August to see what kind of style it's going to be': Shubman Gill ahead of Headingley Test The cover drives, straight drives, flicks, controlled pulls, and the trademark cuts in front of square were a treat to watch as he grew in confidence with every shot and looked much tighter as the innings progressed. After the initial urgency, there was a lot of calm in the way he approached the innings and put his head down to lay the foundation for a big one. First with Yashasvi Jaiswal and then with Rishabh Pant, Gill eased into his new No. 4 role and drove the side forward during a very crucial passage of play, as the match was very delicately poised when he came out to bat at the fall of debutant Sai Sudharsan's wicket. The sun had suddenly disappeared, and another wicket could have put India on the mat even after a terrific opening stand between KL Rahul and Jaiswal. How Shubman Gill prepared for the first Test vs England in Leeds | Exclusive from Nets Gill ensured there was no serious damage and literally walked the pre-match talk where he asserted that he wants to be the best batter in the series. Still early days in what is a very long series, but the Day 1 knock could have easily won a beauty pageant for the most good-looking hundred. There is something about Gill when he is in full flow, as not only does he make shot-making look ridiculously easy, he manages to be a visual delight while doing that. For Gill, the batter, who has been repeatedly questioned for his outings away from home, the hundred in Leeds will give the youngster immense satisfaction and a lot of self-belief before Gill - the captain - takes over. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here

Business Standard

an hour ago

• Business Standard

IND vs ENG 1st Test: Skipper Gill powers India to record start vs England

A new chapter in Indian Test cricket got off to a flying start as Shubman Gill-led India dominated Day 1 of the opening Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Electing to bowl first under overcast skies, Ben Stokes' decision backfired spectacularly as India reached stumps at a commanding 359 for 3 — their highest-ever first-day total in a Test match on English soil, surpassing the previous best of 338 at Edgbaston in 2022. Leading from the front, Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 127, registering a captaincy debut century that also made history — he became the first Indian skipper in 37 years to score a hundred in his maiden Test as captain. He was ably supported by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who continued his stellar red-ball form with a composed 101 off 172 balls. India began solidly with an opening stand of 91 between KL Rahul (42) and Jaiswal. However, England struck back late in the morning session with quick wickets. Brydon Carse removed Rahul, while Stokes trapped debutant Sai Sudharsan for a duck, leaving India at 92 for 2 by lunch. But the visitors turned the tide emphatically in the second session. Jaiswal and Gill stitched together a century partnership that not only stabilised the innings but also put the English bowlers under severe pressure. The duo added 123 runs in the post-lunch session without losing a wicket, showcasing patience and flair in equal measure. England got a brief opening early in the third session when Stokes dismissed Jaiswal on 101 — the left-hander misjudged a short ball just after reaching his fourth Test hundred. But any hopes of a collapse were swiftly quashed as vice-captain Rishabh Pant (65 off 96 balls)* joined Gill in a fluent and aggressive stand. The Gill–Pant duo added an unbeaten 138-run partnership for the fourth wicket, maintaining a brisk scoring rate and ensuring India ended the day firmly on top. India scorecard after day 1 India 1st Inning 359-3 (85 ov) CRR:4.22 Batter Dismissal R B 4s 6s SR Yashasvi Jaiswal b B Stokes 101 158 16 1 63.92 KL Rahul c J Root b B Carse 42 78 8 0 53.85 Sai Sudharsan c JL Smith b B Stokes 0 4 0 0 0 Shubman Gill (C) Not out 127 175 16 1 72.57 Rishabh Pant (WK) Not out 65 102 6 2 63.73 Extras 24 (b 1, Ib 10, w 1, nb 7, p 5) Total 359 (3 wkts, 85 Ov) Bowler O M R W NB ECO Chris Woakes 19 2 89 0 2 4.68 Brydon Carse 16 5 70 1 3 4.38 Josh Tongue 16 0 75 0 1 4.69 Ben Stokes 13 1 43 2 1 3.3 Shoaib Bashir 21 4 66 0 0 3.14