July 31, 2025 — India reached 72 for 2 at lunch on Day 1 of the series-deciding fifth Test against England, after losing both openers early on a seam-friendly pitch at The Oval. The match marks the conclusion of the tightly contested Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with England currently leading the five-match series 2-1.
Early Setbacks for India
Batting first under overcast skies, India’s top order was tested from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to depart, falling for just 2 runs after being trapped leg-before by debutant Gus Atkinson in his second over. Though the on-field umpire turned down the appeal, England successfully overturned the decision on review, with the ball shown to be hitting the stumps.
KL Rahul followed soon after, edging one behind off Josh Tongue, who, despite a wayward start, found his rhythm later in the session. His opening over leaked 12 runs, including 10 from erratic wides.
Toss Woes Continue
India’s misfortune at the toss continued as captain Shubman Gill lost his fifth consecutive toss of the series. England’s stand-in skipper, Ollie Pope, had no hesitation in bowling first given the green surface and overcast conditions. The toss defeat also marked India’s 15th straight loss at the toss in men’s internationals—a streak dating back to January 2025.
It is only the 14th time in the history of Test cricket that a team has lost all five tosses in a series. The last occurrence in the modern era was also India’s, during their 2018 tour of England.
Changes on Both Sides
Both teams made significant changes for the final Test. India brought in Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair, and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. They replaced Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj, Shardul Thakur, and the injured Rishabh Pant.
England, meanwhile, were forced into four changes due to the absence of key players Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. Gus Atkinson was one of the new faces and made an immediate impact with the ball.
Pitch Report
The surface at The Oval, the greenest of the series so far, offered early seam movement but lacked significant swing. Conditions remained challenging for batters, especially under the cloudy skies.
Lunch Score: India 72/2
India will look to build a solid foundation in the second session, with Shubman Gill and Karun Nair holding the key to posting a competitive first-innings total.