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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
India vs England Leeds Test record: When Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly centuries stunned Headingley in 2002
India vs England 2025: Shubman Gill's India are slated to take on Ben Stokes' England in their first Test of the new World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, starting Friday, at the famous Headingley Grounds in Leeds. The hallowed venue, one of the oldest in the UK, has witnessed several iconic Test matches in recent years, including Stokes' epic fourth-innings hundred in the 2019 Ashes to hand England a one-wicket victory. Interestingly, India and England have not featured in consistent Tests at the ground across the last five editions of the series between 2007 and 2021. During their last visit to the venue during the 2021-22 tour, India were humbled as the Joe Root-led side dismissed them out for 78 in the first innings, their lowest team score in England, before inflicting an innings defeat. However, not all Headingley memories turn cold for India as their previous visit back in 2002 proved to be a rare instance where India's top batters fired in unison. ALSO READ: Sachin Tendulkar Interview ahead of IND vs ENG 2025 Test series Shortly after their historic 2002 Natwest Tri-Series triumph at Lord's, Sourav Ganguly's men went down to England in the first Test of the series at the same ground, within a fortnight. A drawn second Test at Nottingham meant India could have only gotten back with a firm reply in the following Tests and the best of India's premier batters did turn up immediately in the third match at Headingley. Batting first, India lost Virender Sehwag early before Rahul Dravid and Sanjay Bangar forged a strong association to rebuild the innings after Ganguly decided to bat first in typically seam-friendly conditions. Piling on one of his most famous centuries, Dravid's adept counter-attack against the swinging ball propelled him to 148 before Sachin Tendulkar cracked a 330-ball 193, his highest Test score in England, as India batted into the third day. Even skipper Ganguly racked up a quick century, gathering 128 in 167 deliveries, making it the only Test instance where the trio recorded centuries in the same innings. India proceeded to bundle England out twice within the remaining period to etch an important innings and 46-run victory and eventually draw the series 1-1. In five previous Tests at the ground since 1952, India had only managed one victory in 1986 on the back of Dilip Vengsarkar's second-innings heroics. Matches: 7; England won: 4; India won: 2; Drawn: 1 What is England's Test record at Headingley, Leeds? England have played 80 Tests at Headingley since 1899, winning 37 and losing 27 matches besides 18 draws. England are currently on a five-match winning streak at the venue, their best since six successive wins between 1956-62 at the ground.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
IND vs ENG: Sachin Tendulkar explains why 2008 Chepauk ton against England is the ‘most meaningful' of his 100 centuries
Having scored 100 centuries in a decorated international career, Sachin Tendulkar often gets asked about his best knocks, most favourite tons and what not. But the one that holds a very special place in his heart, as he has often mentioned in the past, in the fourth-inning century in Chennai against England in December 2008, not long after the terror strikes in Mumbai that shook the nation. In an interview with Sky Cricket, while unveiling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy for the India vs England Test series coming up, the Master Blaster said that ton at Chepauk in an epic run-chase is the 'most meaningful' of his career, for the context around it. 'I still remember post that match, when we were sitting in the dressing room, we could not believe that we had won the game from that position we were in for 3 days, and considering how the mental state was… not just the cricket team but the entire nation. I mean it was very, very fragile, we were not in the right frame of mind to play test cricket. When the match got over, I felt it was the most meaningful hundred of my life. I don't think there has been any hundred that has meant more to me,' Tendulkar told former England captain Mike Atherton, seated next to James Anderson. England elected to bat first and put up a solid 316 on board, riding on Andrew Strauss' 123 and half centuries from Alastair Cook and Matt Prior lower down the order. India's reply got off to a poor start as they found themselves 37/3 in no time. A 7th wicket partnership 85 runs between captain MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh added some respectability to India's first innings total but they were bundled out for 241. Strauss once again led the way for England with a second innings century as well, and Paul Collingwood too scored a ton in the middle order as their 4th wicket stand in excess of 200 all but batted India out of the match. But a late three-wicket burst from Zaheer Khan meant India were able to find some momentum back into the match. A target of 387 was still a massive ask on a Chepauk pitch that gets increasingly difficult to bat on and a world-class bowling unit like the one England had. And then England were hit by a Virender Sehwag special. 'For the first three and a half days thought we were playing a catching-up game and then suddenly we started picking wickets. Zaheeer got three. Then just towards the end of the day's play, in about 90 minutes or so, Sehwag went berserk, he played some incredible shots. On that track, I felt England had possibly the best bowling attack. It was Jimmy, Harmison, Flintoff, Panesar, and Swann. So, they had everything covered and the ball turned on the last day, so to chase wasn't wasn't an easy task, especially against a world-class attack. But we got into some good partnerships and then we finished really strong with Yuvi and I scoring the runs,' the former India captain, who was not out on 103 at the end, said. Sehwag's 83 set up the chase, along with a solid 66 from current India coach Gautam Gambhir at the top of the order. Then Tendulkar and Yuvraj's unbeaten 5th wicket stand of 163 runs took India home. To this date, it is India's second-highest successful run-case in Test cricket history. Tendulkar also thanked England for their decision to go ahead with the two-match Test series, after the events in Mumbai. 'After that terrorist strike, the series was put on hold. I remember England traveling to Dubai where they were based for four or five days and very graciously they decided to come back. Thanks to ECB. I want to officially go on record wanting to thank ECB on behalf of all the Indian well-wishers of Indian cricket. That was very much needed for Indian cricket for the English team to return back to India and play the series. It meant a lot to all of us.' Interview video:
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Shubman Gill wants India to dominate – Ben Stokes will have other ideas
Shubman Gill can never be accused of lacking confidence. Gill, the new India captain, has his nickname 'Prince' stamped on his cricket bat and he is going to need that self-assurance when he comes face to face with Ben Stokes over the next six weeks. Under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, England have carved out a new style and, for all its ups and downs, Bazball achieves one thing; it rattles opposing captains. Pat Cummins, Rohit Sharma and Tom Latham have all spoken in the past about how they have had to reconsider their tactics and respond to the way England, and Stokes, challenge their thinking. Holding your nerve and staying calm is easier said than done when face to face with England on the charge. Cummins's eyes were spinning like a fruit machine at Old Trafford two years ago as England went on the rampage, and that image will remain with England as they prepare for the Ashes this winter. Gill will require a stiff backbone in his first series as captain, leading one of the world's most scrutinised sports teams, as they embark on the challenge of winning a series in England for the first time since 2007. Gill has inherited the No 4 position too, which in itself would be enough responsibility for a 25-year-old to handle without the burden of leadership. The role has been held by Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli since the early 1990s, before Gill was born, let alone picked up a cricket bat for the first time on his father's farm in the Punjab. Gill comes to the job with a Test average of 35 and much to prove away from home. He averages 29 outside of India and 31 against pace, which will be what England will throw at him in Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue. But it is the ultimate challenge, and Gill is relishing it. He has the world at his feet. Whether he can seize the moment will become clearer over the next five Tests. 'Hopefully we find ourselves in a position where he might scramble his own mind but we will not go out there purposely to put pressure on a new captain,' said Stokes, but he knows from his time playing in India the pressure Gill is under. On the For the Love of Cricket podcast this week, England's Jos Buttler said: 'I don't think we can quite understand the level of interest and the stardom that these guys have. You see it around the IPL [Indian Premier League], you're aware of it, but actually living that yourself… I think they say the Indian Test captain is like the third or fourth most influential person in India, behind the prime minister etc – so you really are put up on that pedestal. It's going to be a huge job for him.' 'I want to be the best batsman in the series' The first question of Gill's initial captain's press conference was about his 'coronation moment' and whether he had grasped the 'enormity' of the responsibility thrust upon him. If the job can be likened to the prime minister's office then Gill has a politician inside him. He straight-batted every question while saying all the right things. Sitting back in his chair and exuding calmness, he acknowledged the 'biggest honour' a player can have by captaining India in Test cricket and identified winning a five-Test series in England as a bigger achievement than lifting the IPL title. He shrugged off any thoughts he will walk to the crease with a target on his back now he is captain. 'I want to play as a batsman and dominate opposition and be the best batsman in the series. That is what I am trying to look at.' Buttler played under Gill for Gujarat Titans in the IPL and believes his captaincy will be a mix of Kohli's hot-headedness and Rohit's level-headedness. Kohli was never a tactical genius, but he gave an edge to India that has permeated through to the next generation; Gill sledged Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson in the last series against England and has been known to upset umpires in the IPL. Gautam Gambhir, the coach, is a 'prickly character' to quote Ricky Ponting, and he will expect his young captain to be punchy and reflect the self-confidence of Indian cricket. Gill has consulted both Kohli and Rohit about captaining in England and will lean on Gambhir for advice. Together they want to build a team where players 'feel secure and valued', giving them a longer rope, which will involve shutting out the noise and resisting the pressure to change tack when things inevitably go wrong at some stage. A captain is only as good as his bowling attack and in Jasprit Bumrah, Gill possesses the ace. To average 19 in Test cricket in the modern era of bigger bats, aggressive batsmen and flat pitches makes Bumrah a true great of the game; a bowler who can take wickets on any surface at any stage of an innings. Bumrah captained India in Australia when Rohit was unavailable, but the job went to Gill on a full-time basis because of workload fears. Bumrah will play at least three Tests against England, and how Gill uses him will determine whether he has the puff left for a fourth. 'He is young and energetic, he has his own thought process, and that is how it should be. If he needs anything from me, I will always be there for him,' Bumrah said about Gill this week. The pitch at Headingley is green but dry underneath, and, with sunny weather forecast, the groundsman is leaving the grass on it to try to prevent it breaking up for as long as possible. It is not going to be the seaming paradise on which Anderson and Ollie Robinson rolled India for 78 in the first innings four years ago. That series ended with India going home due to a Covid scare while 2-1 up. When they came back a year later to finish off the series, England had been rejuvenated by Bazball and romped to victory at Edgbaston. This time it is India and Gill's chance to show they are the team setting the agenda, and trying to spark new life into their Test team. 'Our side is not experienced but doesn't have any baggage coming to England, because not all have been here before. That could make a difference,' Gill said.
Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Rohit, Virat, Ashwin retirements mark start of transition for Indian Test team, says Sachin Tendulkar
Leeds: As India prepares to face England in the high-stakes Test series starting June 20, the shock retirement announcements of stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin have sparked widespread debate. While fans mourn the end of an era, legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar offered a grounded perspective, emphasising the natural progression of generational shifts in Indian cricket. Tendulkar, speaking on the development, acknowledged the emotional void left by the trio but maintained that the process of transition is nothing new to Indian cricket. "We are going through a transitional phase in the Indian team. There are young faces, and some of the senior players are still around to guide them and this churning process will continue for years to come. It has been going on for decades," he said. Drawing from personal experience, the Master Blaster recalled how similar changes have occurred in the past, when his own generation passed the baton. "At some stage, the players have to retire, and at some stage, the new faces replace them, and they start their journey. Even when we were playing, be it Sehwag (Virender), Ganguly (Sourav), Dravid (Rahul), Laxman (VVS), myself, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj (Singh), or Dhoni (MS), at some stage, we all retired and the next generation took over," Tendulkar added. "So, it will continue, this process and I have no doubt that the new generation is talented," he noted. Tendulkar also expressed confidence in the talent pool available in India, calling for patience and faith in the newcomers. "As far as skill is concerned, in our country there are so many skilful players. I hope they make the most of the opportunity given to them," he added. Reflecting on the retirements of Kohli, Rohit, and Ashwin, Sachin was clear-eyed but appreciative. "So, that process, what you said about Virat and Rohit and I'll add another name to that, Ashwin has also retired. These three retirements, I mean, that will go on. Their contribution will always be appreciated," he noted. India tour of England will take place from June 20 to August 4, 2025, with matches to be played at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London). A new era beckons for India in the Test format as the modern-day giants gear up for their first assignment without the prized batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill, India's youngest Test captain, has taken the baton from Rohit to guide the nation to success and challenge for the World Test Championship mace. India's squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.
The National
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The National
Anderson-Tendulkar trophy or Pataudi trophy - what are England and India competing for?
The five-match series between England and India that begins in Leeds on Friday will mark the beginning of a new era. The series is the start of a new Test cycle and a fresh journey for India under the captaincy of Shubman Gill following the sudden retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format. England will also be hoping to make a mark in the new Test campaign, having finished the previous in fifth position despite a mid-course correction. This will be a series without some very big names; apart from Kohli and Rohit, pace greats James Anderson and Stuart Broad have also retired. So has India spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin. There is one more big change – the name of the trophy for which the two teams will be competing. The Anderson-Tendulkar trophy The England Cricket Board have unveiled the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy – a new silverware to be given to the winners of the England v India Test series. The move was done to honour the legacy of two of the greatest cricketers the world had seen – the all-time leading Test wicket-taker among seamers – Anderson – and all-time highest Test run-scorer – Sachin Tendulkar. Anderson said it was a huge honour to have such an important piece of silverware named after him. 'It's a huge honour,' Anderson told ESPNcricinfo. 'I still can't quite believe it. Sachin is someone I looked up to when I was growing up. 'I remember watching him, an absolute legend of the game, and I played against him a lot as well. So to have this trophy is a huge honour for me, and I couldn't be more proud.' There is a bit more to it. The series was earlier called the Pataudi trophy – a name coined in 2007 for all Test series between the two nations played in England. The decision was made to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India's first Test. That name was originally given in honour of Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, who is the only cricketer to have represented both India and England in Tests. His son Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, also known as Tiger Pataudi, captained India with great distinction and represented the country from 1961 to 1975, having also played in England at lower levels. The Pataudis have a deep connection with cricket and the royal families of both countries, which made it an apt name for the series trophy. However, of late, bilateral Test series have started to be named after top players of each nation; Australia and India compete for the Border-Gavaskar trophy, New Zealand and England face off for the Crowe-Thorpe trophy, and the Aussies and Sri Lanka play for the Warne-Muralitharan trophy. Similarly, you have the Benaud-Qadir trophy (for Australia v Pakistan) and the Botham-Richards trophy (England v West Indies). The England board also decided to join the growing trend. The new trophy name was set to be unveiled during the recent World Test Championship at Lord's, but was postponed following the Air India crash in Ahmedabad that resulted in the loss of Indian and British lives. Is it the end of the Pataudi trophy? The Indian cricket board is looking to keep the Pataudi name alive. According to reports, the Indian cricket board and Tendulkar wanted Pataudi's name associated with the series in some capacity, as a memento to the winning captain or for the player of the series. There is another twist in the naming tale here. India's home series against England has a different trophy – one which only the most ardent cricket fans know of. India's home Test series against England is played for the Anthony de Mello trophy – named after one of the founding members of the Indian cricket board and an influential figure of the game in the country. So, it is one bilateral series with three different names.
