On the eve of the fifth and final Test match of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, India and England are trying their best to come up for the last match of the series starting on 31 July 2025 at The Oval.
Let's take a look at what happened on 30 July, which is related to India's tour of England 2025.
Ben Stokes Out Of 5th Test
England will enter Thursday's fifth Test at The Oval without their captain, Ben Stokes, who has been ruled out due to a torn shoulder muscle. Ollie Pope will take on the role of captain for the fifth time in Test matches. The team has made four changes from the draw in Manchester, with Jacob Bethell, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue all joining the squad.
Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse are being rested after heavy workloads last week, and Liam Dawson has been left out entirely. Bethell and Joe Root are the team's two spin-bowling options, while Chris Woakes will lead an inexperienced seam attack; combined, England's other three fast bowlers have only 18 Test caps.
England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (capt), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
India To Make Two Changes
Earlier, the Indian side announced that speedster Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the last Test match, starting on Thursday. India have not announced its playing XI yet, but it will make at least two changes, as Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the series after suffering a fracture on his right leg.
Narayan Jagadeesan has been added to the squad, but Dhruv Jurel is most likely to play his first match of the series.
Bangar Wants Bumrah In Playing XI
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has expressed his views on the playing XI for the fifth Test against England, starting July 31 at The Oval. He believes pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah should be included, despite concerns about his workload management. Head coach Gautam Gambhir had confirmed that Bumrah would only play three matches in the series.
"Among the seven potential top-order batters, five have scored hundreds. So, is another batter needed at No. 8? I don't think so," Bangar stated on Star Sports.
He added that Bumrah has shown resilience in his recent performances and should play, as this is a must-win match for India. Bangar also suggested including Kuldeep Yadav instead of an extra batter.
"No Regrets", Says Stokes
England captain Ben Stokes, who will miss the fifth Test of the series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, commented on the "handshake controversy" from the fourth match at Old Trafford.
Ahead of the match at The Oval, he was asked about any regrets regarding the conclusion in Manchester. Stokes stated, "No regrets. Being off the field for 250 overs gives you perspective. Jadeja and Washington performed well, and I understand their desire to stay out for their hundreds."
He added, "I wasn’t going to risk injuries for my bowlers in a situation where we couldn’t win. Let's not dwell on a 20-minute moment in what has been a great series."
