On Day 3 of the fifth Test at The Oval, Ravindra Jadeja scored 53 off 77 balls—his sixth 50+ score in the India–England series while batting at No. 6 or lower―breaking a 59-year-old record set by Sir Garfield Sobers in 1966. He also surpassed Indian greats Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant by becoming the first Indian with six fifties in an England Test series at that position. Jadeja ended with 516 runs, making him the first Indian batter at No. 6+ to exceed 500 in an away series.

On Day 3 of the 5th Test at The Oval, India declared at 396, setting England a daunting target of 374 to win—surpassing a 123-year-old record chase at this venue . Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a brilliant 118, while Ravindra Jadeja added a composed fifty as he wrapped the series with over 500 runs . Washington Sundar played a rapid cameo—53 off 46 balls including multiple sixes—to boost the lower-order assault . England's Josh Tongue claimed five wickets, but dropped catches and thin resources hurt their cause.

India ended Day 3 of the 5th Test at The Oval with a 52-run lead, reaching 75/2 in their second innings. After being bowled out for 224, India’s bowlers Prasidh Krishna (4/60) and Mohammed Siraj (4/83) restricted England to 247. Yashasvi Jaiswal led the counterattack with an unbeaten 51 off 49 balls, surviving dropped catches. KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan fell early, leaving Akash Deep (4*) to support Jaiswal. England’s fielding woes and Chris Woakes’ injury added pressure. With the series tied 2-2, India aims to build a commanding lead on Day 4 and push for a historic series win. (PC: Instagram & Hindustan Times)

Magnus Carlsen advanced to the Esports World Cup semifinals with a dominant 2.5–0.5 win over Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin in their quarterfinal clash . After the first game ended in a draw, Carlsen offered a draw by repetition—an offer Sarin declined, prompting a visible smile from the world champion . Carlsen then won the second and third games convincingly to seal the match. Sarin admitted post-game, “Of course, I just got completely crushed today… I for sure could have played better,” while expressing gratitude to face his inspiration for the first time in a match. (PC: X)

India and England began the fifth and final Test of the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval with high stakes. England, leading 2–1, won the toss and opted to bowl first under overcast skies. India made four changes: Karun Nair, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, and Akash Deep replaced Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, and Anshul Kamboj. England also reshuffled their squad, with Ollie Pope captaining in place of the injured Ben Stokes. Rain looms over all five days, threatening interruptions. India must win to level the series, while England eyes a historic home victory. The match promises drama, with both teams battling fatigue, form, and unpredictable weather.

Indian captain Shubman Gill shattered Sunil Gavaskar’s 46-year-old record for most runs by an Indian skipper in a Test series. During the fifth Test against England at The Oval, Gill reached 737* runs, surpassing Gavaskar’s 732-run mark from the 1978–79 West Indies series. His consistent form includes four centuries, with a top score of 269. Despite India trailing 2–1 in the series, Gill’s performance has been a standout, marking a historic moment in Indian cricket. He now ranks third globally for most runs in a Test series by a captain, behind Don Bradman and Graham Gooch. Gill’s achievement signals a new era of leadership and batting dominance for Team India. (PC: Outlook India & Cricblog)

During the Lord’s Test, India received a replacement ball 30–35 overs old after just 10 overs, violating ICC protocol. The original Dukes ball had lost shape, but no suitable replacement was available. Indian officials claim this change shifted momentum, as Jasprit Bumrah had taken three wickets before the swap. The older ball lacked swing, allowing England’s lower order to recover and post 355, leading to India’s 22-run defeat. Officials also allege England received preferential ball selection and demand ICC rule changes for transparency. The incident has sparked controversy over fairness and match integrity, with calls for reform in ball replacement procedures and oversight. (PC: BCCI)

India Champions have refused to play against Pakistan in the semi-final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 in Birmingham, citing national sentiment following the Pahalgam terror attack. Senior players including Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina voiced their unwillingness to engage in any bilateral cricket with Pakistan. A similar boycott occurred during the group stage. Organisers had earlier apologised for scheduling the match. India secured the semi-final spot after defeating West Indies Champions on Tuesday, despite three prior losses. Pakistan, led by Mohammad Hafeez, topped the league table with four wins. (PC: X)

England captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval due to a shoulder injury sustained during the Manchester Test. England, leading the series 2-1, announced four changes to their playing XI. Alongside Stokes, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, and Brydon Carse are also out. Ollie Pope will lead the team in Stokes’ absence. Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, and Josh Tongue have been named as replacements. Bethell will bat at No.6 and serve as the main spinner. Stokes has been England’s top performer with 304 runs and 17 wickets in the series. The match begins July 31. (PC: BBC & BCCI)

A major controversy erupted ahead of the fifth Test at The Oval as India head coach Gautam Gambhir clashed with chief curator Lee Fortis, who restricted Indian players from approaching the pitch. Gambhir responded sharply, questioning Fortis’ authority. Tensions escalated further when a viral 2023 photo surfaced showing Fortis standing on the pitch with England’s coach, exposing alleged double standards in treatment. Ex-cricketer Irfan Pathan criticized the apparent bias, calling it colonial in tone. India’s coaching staff played down the incident, but the issue sparked widespread debate online and in cricketing circles. (PC: NDTV)