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The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
England v India: first men's cricket Test, day one
Update: Date: 2025-06-20T08:53:41.000Z Title: Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '22 Content: (With apologies to Baz Lurhmann… and Baz McCullum) Wear suncream. If I could offer you only one tip for the next few days, suncream would be it. The long term benefits of suncream have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience on the phenomenon some people call BazBall (and some people don't.) I will dispense this advice now Enjoy the power and beauty of this England Test side. Seriously. You will not see a team like this again. FACT. Trust me, in twenty years you'll look back at Ben Stokes and his crew and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much of a shot in the arm they've provided to Test cricket and to your viewing pleasure. How fabulous, exciting and yes, maddening they really were. Don't worry about the future; Australia. The Ashes. The Urn. Or, do worry about Pat Cummins bowling one of those impossibly jagging bail trimmers to Joe Root in December but know that worrying is as effective as trying to learn Mandarin by downing Guinness. The real troubles right now are Jasprit Bumrah, stuttering and scudding, blitzing away Zak Crawley's Teflon coating like a bullwhip power hose before the Western Terrace have even had their first slip of Tetley's. The strains of Jerusalem still wafting over Cardigan Lane. Do one thing every day that scares you Reverse-Ramp. Don't be reckless with your young spinner; make him feel twelve feet tall despite his county record. Don't bring mid-on up even when Rishabh Pant is going tonto. Scoop. Don't waste your time on the naysayers, the doubters 'the media agenda', sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. Sometimes you'll declare a bit prematurely, sometimes you'll collapse in a stinking heap. The race is long, but the summer is short. Five Test's in seven weeks. You're entertainers. No more draws. But actually, maybe the odd draw? Only if you really need to, honestly, they're not so bad. Remember to be where your feet are. Head to the danger. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how Keep your vice-captain at number three. Put Jacob Bethell on ice until you need him. Stay humble Don't let Ben Duckett do too much press. Maybe Yashasvi Jaiswal isn't indebted or inspired by the way you play. Maybe he's on his own remarkable journey. Be smart. Reign it in a bit. Learn from those mistakes, the ones that got away. Edgbaston, Wellington, The Oval. Hamilton. Wear your bucket hats. Fine. But don't bring back 'The Sprinkler'. Say a prayer for Ben Stokes' knees. And his hamstrings. We'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe this mad lot will go down in history, maybe they won't Maybe they'll win the Ashes, they probably won't Maybe they'll keep going until 2030, that'd be fun. Maybe Jack Leach will come back and dive head first into another boundary hoarding? Maybe Chris Woakes will get the kudos he deserves? Maybe Mark Wood will bowl rockets and Jofra will be back for Lord's. Keep your field placings funky. Your choices are half chance; so are everybody else's. Don't be afraid of pensioning off your record breaking fast bowler. He was the greatest instrument you'll ever have but maybe the time was right. Switch bails. But only when you really need to. (Ask Stuart) Read the riot act, occasionally you might have to. Understand that teammates come and go, Alex Lees, Moeen Ali, Matthew Potts, Jonny Bairstow, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Liam Livingstone, Tom Hartley. They've all played a part. Remember Trent Bridge – 'Don't you dare try and hit one down' Remember Rawalpindi, Hyderabad and Old Trafford before the rain. God they were good. Accept certain inalienable truths, Ollie Pope will start skittishly, he'll also get a ton. Harry Brook will look a million dollars but find a way to get out in the most inexplicably ugly fashion. Stokes will try and bowl eight on the bounce when his dander is up, don't let him do this. Jamie Smith will launch one out of the ground. Brendon McCullum will sit on a balcony with shades on and trotters up. Inscrutable. Beard tapered as if he's leading a Cinch sponsored Armada. People will talk about golf. Don't expect summers like this to come around forever. Changes are needed. Maybe you'll be thrilled. Maybe you won't. Maybe you'll be glued to every ball or maybe you'll dip in and out as life intervenes. You know it'll be there though, humming away in the background, gripping you at times, leaving you in despair at others. Maybe you're amazed at the way you need this. Strap in, buckle up, most of all – enjoy the ride. But trust me on the suncream. (slip, slap, slop). Hello and welcome to the first Test match between England and India from Headingley. I've just disembarked from the Iron horse at Leeds station and am on the way to the ground. Play begins at 11am and the coin will be flipped at about 10.30am. Please do get in touch if you are tuning in. It promises to be a scorcher, in more ways than one.
News18
3 days ago
- Sport
- News18
From Harry Brook To Jamie Smith: Top-5 England Stars To Watch Out For In ATT
Last Updated: Home strength but weakened bowling attack? We look at five England players to watch out for against India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. England are hosting India for a five-Test series and would certainly be looking for some sweet revenge for the 4-1 defeat they suffered on the reverse tour last year. While their opponents are going through a batting transition, the Englishmen are still recovering from losing James Anderson and Stuart Broad's experience, while also dealing with injuries to Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson, all out for the start of the rubber. While the seniors will be looked at to lead from the front in adversity, it's also an opportunity for some youngsters to make their special mark against a strong opponent. Below, we have looked at five players from their 14-member squad for the first Test (in Leeds from June 20) who can be the biggest difference-makers. Harry Brook: An Indian broadcaster for the series recently posted a photo on social media pitting Harry Brook against Rishabh Pant. It obviously drew a lot of flak from Indians, who believed that Pant already has a legacy of being India's greatest Test wicketkeeper, which Brook can't quite match yet. It's hard to argue against it. But if there ever was a series for Brook to convert all of his obvious red-ball potential into a patch of form that makes the world stand up and notice, it's this. He's still under the shadows of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, who'll take all the limelight, and will face an inexperienced Indian bowling attack which has hardly bowled together, let alone in England. Brook missed the last series between these two teams in India. Since then, he has taken his Test tally to 2339 runs, with as many as eight centuries. India will know he'll carry the BazBall flag on his chest and come hard at them on almost every ball — if the 26-year-old could work past their plans, it could be the start of his legacy in his peak years, which might culminate in him getting the captaincy, too. Ben Stokes: For now, Stokes is the captain. The all-rounder's skills and contributions have always either been undervalued or overexaggerated. But there's a whole package there which India know can hurt them. He has scored a century and five fifties against the Indians, while also taking 40 wickets at 31.18. At the opposite end of his career to India's Shubman Gill, Stokes doesn't have much to prove. However, he would have it in the back of his mind that under him, England have failed to find any success in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycles. This could be his last attempt at the title, and he'd want to start strong. Joe Root: There hasn't been a more in-form Test batter than Joe Root in the last few years. Laughed at for not being able to convert his half-centuries into tons at the start of his career, he's now breaking records for fun and is threatening to go past the biggest of them all: Sachin Tendulkar's 15921 runs in the format. India have found it hard to stop him. 10 of his 36 centuries have come against India, the most for him against any opponent. The flat English tracks are yet another opportunity for the right-hander to stack up runs, with the only obstacle for him being the sheer responsibility of being consistent in an otherwise undercooked side. Jamie Smith: In two years, Jamie Smith might be considered one of the best English talents in the sport. He's that good. The 24-year-old has scored 641 runs in his 10-Test-long career at an average of 42.73, with most of those coming as the savior after middle-order collapses. At this young age, he has already shown his adaptability in a variety of conditions, from England to Sri Lanka, and with different tempos, often looking much more mature to deal with demanding situations than his teammates. If England platform him well against India, he might be the biggest X-Factor threat for the hosts. Brydon Carse: All the attention in the England bowling set-up is likely to be on Chris Woakes. That's expected because he's the seniormost in a set-up with a lot of injuries and recent retirements, who also brings a great record against India to the table. But the visitors would certainly be aware of Brydon Carse's threat. The right-arm pacer is genuinely quick and intelligent enough to trouble the best of batters. So far, he has picked up 27 wickets at an average of 19.85, and was a handful when England toured New Zealand. If there were even slight help from the wickets, he'd be as daunting to face as Woakes. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 17, 2025, 11:12 IST News cricket From Harry Brook To Jamie Smith: Top-5 England Stars To Watch Out For In ATT
News18
09-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
Rishabh Pant Injured Ahead Of England Tests? Vice-Captain Gets Hit During Nets
Last Updated: Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant had a minor injury scare during a net session before the five-Test series against England. Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant suffered a minor injury scare during a net session ahead of the five-Test series against England. According to a RevSportz report, the left-hander was hit on his dominant hand while batting after a long hit, prompting a quick check and an ice pack from the team doctor. Although his net session reportedly ended there, he didn't seem to be significantly injured, with no concerns afterwards. India would hope that Pant remains fit ahead of the crucial five-Test series. He's one of the most important players in the format for the country and that shows in his promotion to the role of deputy captain, with the BCCI selectors probably seeing him as a big voice in the Shubman Gill-led leadership group. His batting would be crucial, too. In a mostly inexperienced, young side, he comes with a ton of good numbers to show in England. He has played nine Tests here (the most after India and Australia), scoring 556 runs at an average of 32.71, with two centuries and two half-centuries. His agression in the middle-order and ability to rejuvenate things after top-order collapses give India a much-needed spine. Moreover, against an English team that likes to play in the front-footed BazBall mode, he'll give India a foil, especially against spinners and medium-pace bowling all-rounders. If in the unlikely scenario Pant has to miss any matches, India have a reliable option ready in Dhruv Jurel, who has hit three consecutive fifties against England Lions for India 'A' in the ongoing unofficial Tests. Jurel has played four Tests for India — against the English at home — scoring 202 runs at 40.40. The five-Test series will commence on June 20th in Leeds. It'll mark the start of the new World Test Championship cycle. It'll also kick off Gill's era as the fifth youngest captain in Indian Test history, with him going head-to-head against Ben Stokes, one of the greatest in English history. First Published:
