India captain Shubman Gill had an outstanding tour of England. He scored 754 runs with an average of over 75, including four centuries, and led his team to a 2-2 series draw. Stepping into the No. 4 spot after Virat Kohli’s Test retirement, Gill earned praise for his composure and leadership throughout the tour. He made a new record for the highest score by an Indian with 269 runs at Edgbaston.

On the other hand, former cricketer Ajay Jadeja said Ravindra Jadeja was the most consistent player in the series. He praised his 516 runs in tough conditions and seven wickets. This is the second-most by a spinner in the series. Ajay also talked about Jadeja’s strong mindset. He recalled big innings where Jadeja kept the team steady when under pressure.

After Rohit Sharma retired and star spinner Kuldeep Yadav was missing, India still did well. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave the team strong starts. Rahul scored 532 runs, including two centuries. Former batting coach Sanjay Bangar commended Gill’s captaincy and Rahul’s reliability, noting how the team quickly adjusted to key lineup changes.

Get the hottest cricket news here

Day 5 of the third Test between India and England ended with the hosts winning by 22 runs, putting the score now at 2-1 in favour of the hosts. To this day, it is still being discussed whether Day 3 could have changed the overall outcome of the 3rd Test. It involves English batter Zak Crawley’s alleged time-wasting that infuriated Team India’s captain.  

What caused suspicion of delaying tactics?

The main cause of Shubman Gill’s outburst happened when opener Crawley repeatedly backed away from his stance before the third delivery. Bowler Jasprit Bumrah was visibly frustrated, sharing his captain’s thoughts that these are delaying tactics. 

Bumrah’s fifth delivery bounced and hit Crawley on the bottom glove, striking his finger. This led the English batter to call for the physiotherapist. England fans erupted with cheers while Indian supporters responded with boos. This sequence ensured that he and Ben Duckett only had to face one more over that day

Shubman Gill’s heated accusation

‘Grow some f***ing b*lls!� yelled India captain Shubman Gill at England’s batter, Crawley. It marked the height of frustration as the visitors accused the host team of deliberate delaying tactics. Sky Sports later issued an apology for broadcasting Gill’s language, which became the day's main talking point for both sides.

England fires back, saying the accusation is hypocrisy

The English side claims that Gill has no right to point fingers because his team is also guilty of using the same strategy in previous matches. England’s Tim Southee pointed out that Team India had requested multiple ball changes during the match. There were also prolonged drink breaks and batters leaving the field for unscheduled toilet breaks.

Was there weight to Gill’s accusation of time-wasting?

Whether or not Crawley intended to delay the game is debatable, but it had a noticeable impact on the day’s play. India batter Kannaur Lokesh ‘KLâ€?Rahul was dismayed because they were hoping to bowl for two more overs. The delay cost the team a strategic opportunity to turn the tide, resulting in their 22-run deficit. 

This raises the question â€?who’s to blame for India missing an over on Day 3 of Test 3? If both sides are guilty of time-wasting, then it can be agreed that both sides share the blame. 

Could India have won if it weren’t for the time-wasting?

In theory, yes, India could have won Test 3 if they had one more over and additional time for their bowlers. However, it depends on how effectively they could capitalise on the opportunity.

Still, the chance was slim. India still needed to dismiss England by one wicket or concede 22 fewer runs in the match. Blaming the result solely on the missed over oversimplifies what was a complex and tightly contested match. 

Get more cricket insights from SportsAdda

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill made history on Day 2 of the second Test at Edgbaston on Thursday, July 3. He scored a stunning 269 that helped India post a huge 587 all out against England.

The 25-year-old skipper became the first Asian Test captain to score a double century in the SENA region (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). His record is now the highest Test score by an Indian batter in England, which broke Sunil Gavaskar’s long-standing record of 221.

Gill’s innings included sharp footwork and calm control. He was supported by strong batsmen, Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Ravindra Jadeja (89), though the latter fell a bit short of getting his century.

India continued to lead the game as England closed the day at 77 runs for 3 wickets, trailing by a massive 510 runs. India’s second Test with England is set to finish by Sunday, July 6. 

Check out more cricket news here

Shubman Gill takes the reins as India’s new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series against England, starting Friday, June 20 in Leeds. This series will kick off India’s campaign in the nearing 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.

At just 25, Gill becomes the country’s 37th Test skipper, taking over after the historic exits of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from red-ball cricket. Gill is joined by all-rounder Rishabh Pant, who steps in as the squad’s vice-captain. 

Gill said he feels proud to lead the team and knows the big task ahead. ‘To be able to get this opportunity is a great honour and it's a big responsibility. I'm looking forward to this exciting opportunity� he shared.

The squad also sees returns of Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan. Pace bowler Mohammed Shami is ruled out due to injury. Jasprit Bumrah was not picked for captaincy due to workload concerns.

With a mix of fresh faces and experience, this series will mark a big new start for India's Test side under Gill’s leadership.

Check out more cricket news here

India has always been a powerhouse in cricket, and today’s team remains superb. They are stellar across the squad, but the batsmen are probably their biggest strength. This was evident during their winning run in the 2025 Champions Trophy. With almost every batsman, India had a world-class player, making it such a terrifying opponent. 

The batsmen are always confident

Every time the batsmen step up for India, they showcase the team’s superb dominance. Once they show their confidence, it will be tough for the opponents to chip away at that. Players like Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill are always prepared to show why India is one of the best teams. 

That duo of the veteran and young star helps stabilise the team. That kind of quality proves India is a strong team as they would have players like Kohli and younger players who are determined to showcase their talent.

With the confidence they showed in every game across all the formats, India has one of the best batting lineups. For them, no team is better as they see India the best due to their sheer talent.

India has a good mix of experience and youth

The Indian cricket team is already known for its quality, but that stretches all over the system. They have talented veterans leading the charge, but they also have eager young players who want to prove themselves.

Players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still playing for the team despite being older veterans. Despite this, they are still producing at a high level, as they set the tone in the big matches. Kohli’s calm under pressure and Sharma’s aggression are what make them stand out in the team. 

Younger players like Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal represent the new generation. Their youth is superb, especially with how consistent they are with their batting. At the same time, that youthful energy is present when looking at the aggression with their batting. Even if they have world-class bowlers against them, India has dominated, which Gill has spoken about.

He said, ‘The depth in our batting helps free up the batters at the top. We can play freely because we know we have the depth. This is one thing we used to struggle with earlier. We didn't have the batting depth, so the pressure on the top order was more to score more and stay longer. But I think the depth allows us to play more freely�

India thrives across all three formats

Batters from India have a rare ability to perform well across One-Day International, Test, and T20 cricket formats. Considering they can adjust to any situation, that makes India such a tough matchup. 

There are plenty of countries that can do this, but they cannot reach the same level of success as India has. In Test cricket, they have shown they can be adaptable in tough conditions. Since Test cricket is a long fixture, the batsmen doing this makes them even tougher to play against. 

India has a great balance between skill and smarts when they play ODI cricket. With the veterans leading the way, they know the right time to turn it up and dominate the bowlers they’re playing against. 

In T20, they don’t need to pace themselves as they have multiple power-hitters. India can chase down or set high targets. Aggression is the biggest trait needed in T20 cricket, and the Indian players are ready to keep playing at the highest level.

Game-changing players are present

Across the Indian cricket system, the team has superb players who can be considered match-winners. They can turn games on their head with their batting, which makes the team hard to play and scheme against.

Here are some players who are known for their game-changing qualities: 

• Virat Kohli - Whenever India has a target to hit, Kohli’s batting helps the team to get those numbers. He is a powerful and smart batsman, which makes him a tough matchup for any bowler.
• Shubman Gill - For such a young batsman, Gill is already one of the most composed hitters in the sport. That unsettles the opponent bowlers as they can never throw him off his game. 
• Hardik Pandya - Arguably the most powerful batsman in the squad, he helps India finish matches on a high note. With Pandya’s power, India becomes a tougher matchup as they always put the pressure on.

India will keep improving with time

What makes India a good team is they constantly produce high-level talent that could surpass any team and player around the world. They might have Kohli leading the way for his generation, but he gets quickly followed up by a top talent like Gill. 

India has an embarrassment of riches with their cricket talent since they always find a way to unearth great talents, especially with the batting department. The current crop of players is influential enough to the next generation, so youngsters will still climb the ranks and become the successors.

Gill, in particular, has talked about what it’s like playing alongside some greats from India. He said, ‘This is the best batting lineup that I have been a part of. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli I think are the all-time one-day greats in the world. Rohit, one of the best openers in white-ball cricket, and Virat, I don’t think I need to say anything about him�

Now that India has continued to get big wins, players like Gill will also help inspire the next generation. It is a production line of top-tier batsman talent, and other countries must do their best to beat them.

Explore more about cricket through features here

Throughout the history of cricket, India and Pakistan have shared a fierce rivalry. They have been passionate about the sport for a long time, and since they are neighbouring countries, it is expected that they will compete at a higher level against each other.

The most recent matchup was in the ICC Champions Trophy on February 23, 2025. It was a fantastic victory for India, winning by six wickets. In recent history, India’s cricket team has been the most successful of the two South Asian countries, and the rivalry has become much more one-sided. 

People feel disconnected from the ‘greatest�rivalry

Due to their status as the best matchup in cricket, people always tune in to watch the passionate rivalry between the two nations. Unfortunately, it has not worked out for them as many are calling their matches ‘snooze festsâ€? 

That is not a good look for the rivalry given that soon, general audiences might follow that notion. Another reason why people are looking down on it is that the actual cricketers who participate in it are also unenthused, like Shubman Gill.

He said, ‘Everyone enjoys watching it. If so many people are happy to watch the match, then who are we to say that it is underhyped or overhyped?� People considering it overhyped is a big deal as it should serve as an eye-opener for both cricket associations.

The onus falls onto Pakistan more since they have been underperforming. They have a strong history of cricket excellence, but they have not shown that as of late. Pakistan’s cricket team must step up if they want to rekindle this rivalry and improve their standing in the cricket world.

The matchup has been predictable

Pakistan often struggles when facing India. When they get to bat first, they do not ramp up the attack, as they become tentative with their batting. On the opposite end, India's batting first helps them turn up the heat with fast-paced play. That should be how Pakistan takes charge, but they always become slower.

The system must also experience some changes, which fast bowler Hasan Ali has spoken about. He said, ‘For the past four to five years, we have changed around 26 to 27 coaches within the team. It's been true for four years, it's true, it's okay, but when you don’t have stability, these kinds of things happen�

For Pakistan to defeat their rivals, they must make fundamental changes to their play style. They have talented players, but they should get past the mental block of going against their rivals.

Find the cricket expert pieces here