[ad_1]
India’s Shreyas Iyer during a practice session ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan in Dubai. (PTI)
NEW DELHI: The wait is finally over. Team India has a new Test captain — Shubman Gill. The 25-year-old will take over the red-ball leadership when India begin their five-Test tour of England on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. Gill will lead the side, with the dynamic Rishabh Pant his deputy.At 25, Gill becomes India’s fifth-youngest Test captain, following in the footsteps of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (21), Sachin Tendulkar (23), Kapil Dev (24), and Ravi Shastri (25).Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!As is often the case with team selections, the announcement by chief selector Ajit Agarkar brought a mix of elation and disappointment.While young left-hander B Sai Sudharsan and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh earned their maiden Test call-ups, the squad also marked the return of Karun Nair to the national setup after eight years.Among the notable omissions was veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, who was deemed unfit for the five-match series. Harshit Rana and Sarfaraz Khan, who were part of the Australia tour, were also left out.Here are five burning questions following the selection of India’s squad for the England Tests.WHERE IS SHREYAS IYER?Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the 18-member squad has emerged as the biggest surprise among the omissions. Despite an impressive run in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season — scoring 480 runs at an average of 68.57 in seven innings — and playing a key role in India’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign, Iyer’s omission has raised several eyebrows. A proven match-winner, leader, agile fielder, and potential game-changer in England’s challenging conditions, Iyer wasn’t even considered for the India A squad.Iyer last played a Test in 2024 against England in Visakhapatnam.In the ongoing IPL 2025 season, Iyer has also led Punjab Kings to the playoffs for the first time in eleven years, showing strong form and leadership.When asked about his omission, chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that there simply isn’t a place for him in the Test setup at the moment. “Shreyas had a good one-day series, played well in domestic as well but right now there’s no room in Test cricket.”Another notable absentee from the squad is Sarfaraz Khan. Once seen as a promising prospect for India’s red-ball future, his omission from back-to-back Test series has now become a major talking point. Sarfaraz, who made a strong impression with back-to-back fifties on debut against England in Rajkot in 2024, also scored a 150 in India’s first Test against New Zealand last year. However, he was dropped for the subsequent tour of Australia and has once again been left out of the squad for the upcoming England series.What went wrong for Sarfaraz after the New Zealand series remains unclear.That said, Sarfaraz has been included in the India A squad for the series against the England Lions.Chief selector Agarkar backed Karun Nair over Sarfaraz, citing Nair’s consistent domestic form as the reason for his inclusion.“Sometimes you just have to make good decisions. Sarfaraz, I know he got a 100 in the first Test and then didn’t get runs. Sometimes it’s decisions the team management takes,” Agarkar said.
When the young pacer was included in the Test side for the series Down Under, his selection was termed a ‘bold move’. Harshit Rana made an impressive start to his Test career in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, picking up four wickets on debut. However, he struggled to maintain that impact in the latter stages of the series.With India now set to tour England, the selectors have prioritised bowlers suited to swing-friendly conditions, opting for Akash Deep, Shardul Thakur, and Arshdeep Singh, while leaving Rana out.The captain and team management will certainly face a major headache while finalising the Playing XI for the opening Test. Who will open the innings for India – that’s one of the key questions. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, and KL Rahul are among the current options.However, with the retirements of two stalwarts — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — India’s batting line-up is set for a significant reshuffle. Undoubtedly, under Gill’s leadership, the team is on the brink of a “massive transition.”WILL GILL LEAVE NO.3?Will Gill open the innings? Or will he bat at No. 4? If Shubman Gill shifts to the No. 4 spot, it could mark a significant change in his career trajectory. With several contenders vying for the opening slots, the selectors might back Gill to step into Virat Kohli’s shoes — at the crucial No. 4 position, where Kohli anchored the innings for years.“Last year or so we have looked at Shubman (for leadership). We are hopeful he is the guy who is going (to take the team forward). It is a high-pressure job but he is a terrific player. We wish him all the best,” said chief selector Ajit Agarkar after announcing the 18-member squad.Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, K L Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhurv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep singh and Kuldeep Yadav.
[ad_2]
Source link
About the author
Designing Thug Life: Amritha Ram on Styling Kamal Haasan
Costume design in Indian cinema often dances between fantasy and realism. But in Thug Life, Amritha Ram collaborates with cinematic icons Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam to craft a fashion-forward yet character-driven wardrobe that breaks norms. In an exclusive with ETimes, Amritha reveals how meticulous planning, storytelling, and visual language drove her designs. Tip 1: Collaboration Is the Key to Vision When asked what excited her most about working on Thug Life, Amritha simply said, “Two names: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam.” The sheer reputation of these legends shaped her approach. Mani Ratnam was clear about the film’s visual tone—stripping away Bollywood glamor for something minimalistic yet powerful. “Mani sir guided me all the way. He knew exactly what he wanted,” she shared. Working with Kamal, who understands fabric, dyeing, and even costume history, was a learning curve. His feedback […]
If It Happened There: Donald Trump sends central troops to quell protests in opposition-ruled California | World News
[ad_1] Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Note: The following piece is inspired by Joshua Keating’s If It Happened There which uses tropes and tones normally used by American media to describe events in other countries. The facts presented deal with as much exactitude and accuracy as an American media outlets’ reporting about a foreign country.Los Angeles, Mexican for the city of angels, is home to Hollywood – America’s answer to Bollywood – and a city where starstruck aspirants come with the dream of being immortalised on the silver screen. Yet, the city, which falls under America-administered California, an opposition state which overwhelmingly voted for Mr Donald Trump’s rival from the Democratic Party, Ms Kamala Harris, […]
Apple prepares for new ‘Games’ app as domain goes live ahead of WWDC 2025 keynote
[ad_1] Apple is expected to launch iOS 19 (or rumoured iOS 26) and one of new features that is reported to come is a new Apple Games app. Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for this new application, which is said to curate games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as a domain purportedly leading to the platform has gone live.As per a report by 9to5mac, the company's new games.apple.com domain has just gone live. However, it is currently displaying a blank page, signaling imminent content.This shift from a "Safari Can’t Find The Server" error message to a blank white page strongly suggests Apple is preparing to push content to the URL very soon, potentially coinciding with the conclusion of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote.What Apple’s new Games app is all aboutWhile the exact function of the […]
MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame | Cricket News
[ad_1] MS Dhoni, former India cricket captain, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his extraordinary career spanning 16 years with 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. The wicketkeeper-batsman revolutionized the sport through his unique playing style, tactical leadership and achievements including winning all three ICC men's white-ball titles as captain. "It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever," Dhoni said about his induction. Dhoni's journey began in 2004 when he made his ODI debut. Though he was dismissed for a duck in his first match, he soon announced his […]
160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi in China found to be harmful to trees |
[ad_1] In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have uncovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in China. The new findings offer fresh insights into the ecological relationships between blue-stain fungi, plants, and insects during the Jurassic period. These fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts but often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects.According to ScienceDaily, a Chinese team of scientists highlights the discovery of well-preserved blue-stain fungal hyphae within Jurassic fossil wood from northeastern China, pushing back the earliest known fossil record of this fungal group by approximately 80 million years.Know about the blue-stain fungi, deadly to treesBlue-stain fungi are known for their ability to colonize wood, particularly in conifer trees, causing characteristic discoloration in the sapwood. While these fungi do not decompose wood, they often cause considerable damage when associated with wood-boring insects. Their role […]
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump’s National Guard order
[ad_1] Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Video credit: X) For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge.The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby.Meanwhile, California governor Gavin […]
Related
Designing Thug Life: Amritha Ram on Styling Kamal Haasan
Costume design in Indian cinema often dances between fantasy and realism. But in Thug Life, Amritha Ram collaborates with cinematic icons Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam to craft a fashion-forward yet character-driven wardrobe that breaks norms. In an exclusive with ETimes, Amritha reveals how meticulous planning, storytelling, and visual language drove her designs. Tip 1: Collaboration Is the Key to Vision When asked what excited her most about working on Thug Life, Amritha simply said, “Two names: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam.” The sheer reputation of these legends shaped her approach. Mani Ratnam was clear about the film’s visual tone—stripping away Bollywood glamor for something minimalistic yet powerful. “Mani sir guided me all the way. He knew exactly what he wanted,” she shared. Working with Kamal, who understands fabric, dyeing, and even costume history, was a learning curve. His feedback […]
If It Happened There: Donald Trump sends central troops to quell protests in opposition-ruled California | World News
[ad_1] Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Note: The following piece is inspired by Joshua Keating’s If It Happened There which uses tropes and tones normally used by American media to describe events in other countries. The facts presented deal with as much exactitude and accuracy as an American media outlets’ reporting about a foreign country.Los Angeles, Mexican for the city of angels, is home to Hollywood – America’s answer to Bollywood – and a city where starstruck aspirants come with the dream of being immortalised on the silver screen. Yet, the city, which falls under America-administered California, an opposition state which overwhelmingly voted for Mr Donald Trump’s rival from the Democratic Party, Ms Kamala Harris, […]
Apple prepares for new ‘Games’ app as domain goes live ahead of WWDC 2025 keynote
[ad_1] Apple is expected to launch iOS 19 (or rumoured iOS 26) and one of new features that is reported to come is a new Apple Games app. Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for this new application, which is said to curate games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as a domain purportedly leading to the platform has gone live.As per a report by 9to5mac, the company's new games.apple.com domain has just gone live. However, it is currently displaying a blank page, signaling imminent content.This shift from a "Safari Can’t Find The Server" error message to a blank white page strongly suggests Apple is preparing to push content to the URL very soon, potentially coinciding with the conclusion of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote.What Apple’s new Games app is all aboutWhile the exact function of the […]
MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame | Cricket News
[ad_1] MS Dhoni, former India cricket captain, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his extraordinary career spanning 16 years with 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. The wicketkeeper-batsman revolutionized the sport through his unique playing style, tactical leadership and achievements including winning all three ICC men's white-ball titles as captain. "It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever," Dhoni said about his induction. Dhoni's journey began in 2004 when he made his ODI debut. Though he was dismissed for a duck in his first match, he soon announced his […]
160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi in China found to be harmful to trees |
[ad_1] In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have uncovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in China. The new findings offer fresh insights into the ecological relationships between blue-stain fungi, plants, and insects during the Jurassic period. These fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts but often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects.According to ScienceDaily, a Chinese team of scientists highlights the discovery of well-preserved blue-stain fungal hyphae within Jurassic fossil wood from northeastern China, pushing back the earliest known fossil record of this fungal group by approximately 80 million years.Know about the blue-stain fungi, deadly to treesBlue-stain fungi are known for their ability to colonize wood, particularly in conifer trees, causing characteristic discoloration in the sapwood. While these fungi do not decompose wood, they often cause considerable damage when associated with wood-boring insects. Their role […]
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump’s National Guard order
[ad_1] Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Video credit: X) For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge.The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby.Meanwhile, California governor Gavin […]
Be the first to leave a comment