India ended their 2024 calendar year with a mix of successes and failures, highlighted by a T20 World Cup win and a disappointing ODI series loss. Looking ahead to 2025, India will have a packed schedule, starting with a final Test against Australia and then moving on to a limited-overs series against England. They will also prepare for the Champions Trophy, a five-match Test series against England, and a home series against South Africa. In total, India will play 18 T20Is, 9 Tests, and 12 ODIs in bilateral assignments outside of ICC and ACC tournaments.
Both the India vs Australia and New Zealand vs England Test matches had a slow start due to rainy weather conditions. The subscribers of Sportstar, the official coverage platform, were eagerly waiting to see their favorite teams in action but were disappointed as rain continued to disrupt the matches. With the possibility of a shortened game, fans are hoping to catch at least a few overs in the final session.
Lord's owner Marylebone Cricket Club faced criticism for the ticket prices for the Test between England and Sri Lanka, but the prices for the India vs England Test have been increased even further. Former England crickter David Lloyd has called the ticket prices "utterly preposterous", highlighting the danger of Test cricket becoming an "elite showpiece". The cheapest tickets for India's Test at Lord's are priced at 90 pound each with restricted views, while fans can pay up to 175 pound for unrestricted views.
In a sensational display of spin bowling, India's Kuldeep Yadav channels Shane Warne to dismiss England's Zak Crawley with a 10.9 degree spinning delivery. Crawley had been batting brilliantly until then, but Kuldeep's delivery shattered his stumps and left everyone stunned. This was just one of the five wickets taken by Kuldeep, helping India reduce England to 194 for eight at tea on Day 1 of the final Test. All 10 wickets of the innings were taken by spinners, with Ashwin also taking four and Jadeja taking one. With this victory, India sealed a series win against England.
England's captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat first against India in the fifth and final Test match of the series. India made two changes to their playing XI, including handing a debut to Devdutt Padikkal, while England replaced Ollie Robinson with Mark Wood. The match is being held at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala and the playing XIs for both teams have been announced.
In the fourth Test match between India and England, debutant Akash Deep impresses with his bowling skills, while Joe Root and Ben Foakes put up a strong partnership to lead England's score. Siraj also contributes by taking important wickets with the older ball, but Root remains unbeaten on a fifty-run partnership with Robinson. Indian viewers can watch the match on Sports 18 Network, while live streaming will be available on the JioCinema app and website.
In an exciting day of cricket, Indian captain Rohit Sharma took a light-hearted swipe at teammate Ravindra Jadeja for bowling two no-balls in the third Test match against England. Jadeja, who had a disappointing performance with the ball, conceded 33 runs in 4 overs during England's innings. Meanwhile, England opener Ben Duckett impressed with a century as the tourists trail India by 238 runs at close of play. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also made history by reaching 500 Test wickets, becoming the ninth bowler to achieve this milestone.
On day 3 of the India vs England 3rd Test, young Indian batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill fought off England's bowlers to take India's lead to 170 runs. Earlier, India faced a setback when Ravichandran Ashwin had to leave the squad due to a family emergency. However, Ashwin's 500th Test wicket had boosted India's morale on Day 2, and with Mohammed Siraj also taking a wicket, England now trails by 238 runs. The pitch is showing signs of deterioration, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough for a result. Mark Wood's reverse-swing and Ben Stokes' use of conventional fields have posed challenges for the Indian batsmen, but Suryakumar Yadav's emotional message for Ashwin may serve as added motivation for the team.
India's skipper Rohit Sharma and allrounder Ravindra Jadeja shine on the first day of the third Test match against England, with centuries and significant contributions from lower order batters helping the team reach a respectable total of 445. Debutants Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel also make impressive contributions to the score. With the series level at 1-1, the match promises to be a thrilling one for cricket fans.
In the third Test match between India and England, Jadeja and Kuldeep fell early on Day 2 as India struggled to stabilize their innings. England's bowlers, led by Hartley, continued to put pressure on India, who ended up at 369 for 7 after 107 overs. The controversial issue of the five-run penalty against India was also a topic of discussion, with Ashwin being warned for running on the pitch and England starting their innings at 5/0 as a result.