Tensions rose before the fifth and final Test between India and England when India head coach Gautam Gambhir argued with The Oval’s head groundsman, Lee Fortis, during practice. 

The video, now widely shared online, shows Gambhir pointing at Fortis and saying he had no right to tell the team what to do. This happened after the curator told Indian staff to stay 2.5 meters away from the pitch.

Fortis, a four-time England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) award winner known for strict pitch care, warned that he might file a complaint. Gambhir reportedly replied that he could report it to anyone he wanted.

India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said the argument started when a cooler was pushed close to the square, which triggered Fortis�reaction. Kotak defended the team, saying they did not harm the surface. He criticised what he called an extreme level of care for the wicket, adding that it was 'a cricket pitch, not an antique'.

The clash divided fans, with some calling out Gambhir’s anger while others praised him for standing up for India’s training needs. Experts noted that pitch conditions often play a big role in the mental battle during key matches. With England ahead 2-1 in the series, this tense moment adds more drama to the final game at The Oval.

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England captain Ben Stokes is getting more heat after another weak game with the bat in a huge 336-run loss to India at Edgbaston. India scored over 1,000 runs across two innings, adding more pressure on Stokes during his two-year drop in form. 

The 34-year-old got out for a golden duck and then scored just 33. It’s now been two years since his last Test hundred. Since then, his average is only 30.55, and he’s had a hard time with spin bowling, getting out to spinners 16 times in his last 25 dismissals, with an average of 18.43.

Stokes�choice to bowl first on a flat pitch didn’t work out. Critics, including former Indian batter Mohammed Kaif, have raised questions about his decisions and current form. His rival, Shubman Gill, scored 397 more runs than him in the match, setting a new record.

Even with knee and hamstring problems, Stokes is still bowling and has taken nine wickets this summer. However, many believe trying to stay a full-time all-rounder may be hurting his batting. As England gets ready for the next Test, the pressure on Stokes is growing. He needs to get back in form or face hard questions about doing both roles.

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As India gets set for a five-match Test series against England, Steve Harmison is putting the spotlight on Jasprit Bumrah. The former England fast bowler says the series could depend on how many games Bumrah plays. 

India hasn’t said yet which games Bumrah will play, considering his workload. However, Harmison wants the team to have Bumrah at sites like Headingley and Lord’s. These grounds are known for sloped fields and often cloudy skies. Harmison believes Bumrah can turn a match around by himself when there are clouds.

Bumrah’s record in England proves the point. He has taken 37 wickets in nine Test matches, with an average of 23.78 runs per wicket. He has also grabbed five wickets in an innings twice and was a key player at Trent Bridge in 2021, doing well with both the ball and the bat.

Harmison also pointed to Mohammed Siraj as an important partner for Bumrah. He called Siraj a 'dark horse' because of his energy and the way he moves the ball sideways. He also said India’s fast bowlers might do better in England’s cooler, less tiring weather than in India.

This isn’t the first time Harmison has praised Bumrah. Back in February 2025, he compared the absence of Bumrah to Cristiano Ronaldo not being in the World Cup finals. He also advised India to keep Bumrah in the team, even if he wasn’t ready for the first few matches.

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What seemed like an easy win for Australia at Lord’s turned into a big surprise on Day 3 of the 2025 Test Championship final. Australia gave South Africa a target of 282 runs and quickly got rid of some of their top batters. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood’s 59-run last-wicket stand made the lead grow to 281. Starc, who stayed not out on 58, scored his first Test fifty in six years.

However, the game shifted after lunch. Even though South Africa lost 2 quick wickets and Temba Bavuma was limping from a sore leg, they kept going. Bavuma didn’t leave the field, and Aiden Markram looked calm from the beginning. They showed what Starc and Hazlewood had shown earlier: that batting was a bit easier under the warm afternoon sun.

Markram, who scored a last-innings hundred against Australia in a previous Test, stayed calm and in charge. He ended the day not out. For 65 runs, Bavuma batted strongly despite injury, and in the same moment, Steve Smith injured his finger attempting the catch. 

South Africa now needs only 69 more runs and still has 8 batters left. No one expected this, but they’re now ahead. Australia, who looked in full control, is now behind and trying to catch up.

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As Virat Kohli retires, Test cricket fans say goodbye to a defining chapter in Indian and global cricket history. Messages poured in from news sites and cricket fans all over the world. 

The New York Times said, 'Virat Kohli made one billion Indians dream again and helped save Test cricket'. Kohli was known for his bold style: collar up, sharp eyes, and spinning his bat. He became a symbol of India’s strong and fearless way of playing.

Former England fast bowler Steven Finn also recalled that even at the young age of 17, Kohli showed a strong will to win. In fact, former cricketer Greg Chappell described him as 'the most Australian non-Aussie cricketer'. He was also praised for his leadership, especially during India’s historic first Test series win in Australia in the 2018�9 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Some of his biggest moments include a tough 149 in Edgbaston in 2018. He also scored a brave 123 in Perth on a hard pitch. Kohli played with passion every time he took to the field. Now that he’s retired from Test cricket, he leaves a gap not just in records, but in spirit.

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