We just experienced an unforgettable Test series between the hosts England and the visitors India, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. It was the five-match Test series, where both teams never gave up without putting up their last fight, as the series ended in a 2-2 draw. Recently, former English cricketers Michael Atherton and Naseer Hussain spoke about the series and compared it to one of the greatest Test series the Ashes 2005. 

Ashes 2005 is a great example of Test cricket

Ashes 2005 is known as one of the greatest Test series in history, which the hosts England won by 2-1 to end their 16-year drought for the Ashes urn. It was a series of legends and high-quality battles in every moment. While it is hard to find a competitive Test series like the Ashes 2005, especially a long Test series, the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 has impressed many cricket experts.

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England vs India Test series 2025: Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025

In the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, both England and India gave everything for the series. Those battles were so intense that the injured cricketers Rishabh Pant and Chris Woakes couldn't put themselves out of the game. 

Former English captain Naseer Hussain recently asked his long-time Test teammate Michael Atherton, where the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 could challenge the Ashes 2005, which some have felt. In reply, Atherton refused to agree on it, but he also said that the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 would be one of the best series since the Ashes 2005. Atherton further added that the Ashes 2005 was a higher quality Test series, which can't be compared easily. 

Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, "No, I don't think the quality was as good as 2005. I don't think I'll see a better series than the 2005 Ashes. I just think one team on the rise, one great team on the decline, an emerging team, absolutely great players at the top of their game. But I think probably the best series since '05. I mean, the 2023 Ashes was a fantastic Ashes, wasn't it? But I probably put this one as the best series since 2005 because of those dramatic moments like Woakes and Rishabh Pant and the way the series twisted and turned. So I reckon probably the best series that I've covered since '05."

Nasser and Athers debate whether the recent England vs India series was as good as The 2005 Ashes? 💭 pic.twitter.com/zdnzqvBb6q

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 13, 2025

The share of focus, along with the fifth day of the five-match Test series between England and India at the Kennington Oval, will also be on Chris Woakes, and whether he gets to bat with a broken shoulder that he did on the opening day of the fixture, and didn’t take any further part in the game.

The former England captain, Nasser Hussain, looked back at the Headingley clash when Malcolm Marshall, the former West Indies captain, walked with the bat in the same circumstances. He also reckoned that there would be cameras on the veteran, whether he turns to the net sessions for a couple of hits.

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‘I don’t know if you remember Malcolm Marshall with a broken arm in Headingley, and our very own, Paul Allott, was bowling, and Malcolm Marshall was just swinging with one hand. We are going to have a camera on Chris Woakes to see if he is going to the nets to do some throwdowns this morning.’ Nasser Hussain expressed on day 5 of the fifth Test on Sky Sports Cricket.

Watch: Nasser Hussain comments on Chris Woakes' potential batting in ENG vs IND 5th Test  

‘He probably would be in the dressing room. What you have to be careful of is the duties of caring as well. If he has got one arm in the sling and got bouncers to come, and once you have sent someone out there, India can do what they want to win the game.’ The Chennai-born added.

"England will hope it doesn't come down to Chris Woakes, India will hope it does" 🗣️

Nasser Hussain on the potential of Chris Woakes batting today 🏏 pic.twitter.com/QCBtRNSQjk

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 4, 2025

Joe Root, in the last press conference, claimed that the all-rounder would come to bat as he was ready to put his body on the line for the national side. If he does, it would be a critical situation with the Three Lions needing 35 runs with four wickets in hand.  

‘There is a bit of a duty of care to Chris Woakes. But if it’s five or 10 runs to win, as with Rishabh Pant when he was hobbling down the stairs in the previous Test, I think the exact will happen. England will hope it doesn’t come down to Chris Woakes, and India will hope it does,’ Hussain concluded.

The fifth and final Test between India and England is shaping up to be a nail-biting finish. Starting Day 4, India looked in control, with England still needing 324 runs to win and only one wicket down.

However, England staged a strong fightback through key partnerships that kept the chase alive. The hosts steadily chipped away at the target, frustrating the Indian bowlers with a composed batting display.

As the day neared its end, England were just 35 runs away from victory with three wickets remaining. But play was halted early due to poor light and rain, leaving the outcome hanging in the balance. The star commentators weren’t happy with this pause at the end.

See Also: Weather forecast for Day 05 of ENG vs IND 5th Test at Kennington Oval

Commentators Take Dig at ‘Match Officials’ Decision:

Rain paused the final session of the final Test, leading the umpires to send the players back to the pavilion. With conditions not improving, stumps were declared early, pushing the match into a decisive fifth and final day.

Experienced commentators Nasser Hussain and Dinesh Karthik questioned the umpires' decision to call stumps before time. They felt the game, which was building up to a thrilling finish, should have continued and reached its conclusion in front of a full crowd at the stadium.

On Sky Sports, Nasser Hussain said, “ Most importantly for viewers and fans who paid good money, remember Monday is a workday, and this sort of series deserves a finale in front of a big crowd at an iconic cricket ground, the Oval. That would have been some finale on Sunday, you may have just knocked off 35, or you may have seen Chris Woakes walk downstairs in a sling. I'm just wondering if they could have done anything, they had like 42-43 minutes to play with and within the laws and the playing regulations.”

He further said, “ If the groundsman had said no, we can't get the covers off in that time, the umpires would have to call stumps. I'm just wondering, you do have the option of the extra half hour, don't you? If you feel you can get result at 7.30, if there was 10 to win, the umpires would have given the team the extra half hour, I was just wondering if you could give the extra half hour at 6:42 (11:12 PM IST) and say to the teams, it has to come from the teams.”

Agreeing with Nasser Hussain, Dinesh Karthik also expressed disappointment over the early end to the day’s play. He remarked that the match officials should have applied some “common sense” before making such a decision, especially with the match so finely poised.

Karthik said, “ Little bit of rain, and I agree the rules are the rules, but I kind of like what Nasser said, that half an hour extension that you get meant, even if it meant it needed to start at 6.45, it could well have been 11, 12 hours, it could have gone either way, the crowd would have gotten to see the result, and it's a nice feeling to know that both teams have gone so hard, you give them the option, they don't want to use it, fair enough, everybody's going to come back tomorrow for whatever it's worth, but today, I think a little bit more common sense would have been to ask, I'm not saying it should happen, to ask I think is the fair thing to do.”

The buzz around the upcoming Ashes is already touching the ceiling. The prestigious 5-match Test series will start in November, later this year. Before that, there were plenty of weeks left. But the cricket world already is witnessing the rising heat. Former cricketers from both nations have started to exchange words through various media platforms. 

Former England captain Nasser Hussain also joined the rank by issuing a warning to his nation's boys who will take a flight to Australia for The Ashes. Hussain said that there, in Australia, England cricketers will need to stay mentally tough. Because the visiting side has to deal with mind games. 

"I do think you need tough cricketers. And I mean people who would stand up out there. When you go out there, you are not taking on 11 Australian cricketers; you are taking on a nation. You’ll get out there, and the media will be on you. Within a week of landing, they will say, ‘Is this the worst England side ever to come?’ which was probably true in our case. Can’t bowl, can’t bat, can’t field. The headline will come out ‘Stuart Broad is a…something bloke", Nasser Hussain said while speaking to Sky Sports Cricket while sitting by the side of Stuart Broad. 

Read More: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 5th Test: Edge, catch, Ben Duckett departs! Prasidh Krishna on roll

'You have to be up for the fight'

For example, he mentioned Darren Gough, Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, and Stuart Broad, who achieved success against Australia, in Australia, not only for the skills they used to possess but also for the blend of skills and fearless nerves, according to Nasser. 

"So, you are taking on them; you are taking on the public. If you look historically, the characters, not just cricketers, who have done well against Australia—Darren Gough stood up to everyone, Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, and Stuart Broad. People that would not back down in a battle because that is what the Ashes is. It is a battle for however long, however many days, and you have to be up for the fight," he added. 

"People that will not back down in a battle" 😤

Nasser Hussain says England need 'tough cricketers' in their squad to travel to Australia for the Ashes 👊 pic.twitter.com/1dDhyaLsuh

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 3, 2025

It was the 138th over of the innings towards the end of the fifth day in the fourth Test of the five-match series at Old Trafford in Manchester, when Ben Stokes, the England captain, walked up to the India batters, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, to shake hands. But he was surprised when the two lads decided not to accept the proposal.

It was a shocker to the England side. The two batters, who worked hard in challenging conditions against the home attack, were keen to get the rewards. However, Stokes was aware of how his bowlers were being broken down during that period, and he didn’t want to take any risks. The former England captain, Nasser Hussain, sheds light on the incident.

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‘I didn’t have a problem with it. I know, England seemed to have a problem with it. They had tired bowlers, tired legs, and tired bodies. They wanted to get off. But two lads worked hard to get into the 80s. In the 90s, they wanted Test match centuries. Stokes didn’t have to bowl Brook, and it looked a bit silly in the end. But we make far too many things with these,’ Hussain expressed on Sky Sports Cricket.

Watch: Nasser Hussain reacts to India refusing to shake hands in Eng vs Ind 4th Test in Manchester

The general rule states that there is no restriction on players shaking hands with each other to call the game off. It’s the earliest point in the last hour when a mutual agreement could signal the green light for the decision.

"I didn't have a problem with it, they deserved to be there at the end"

Nasser Hussain on the final few overs play at Old Trafford 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/FrWukypZQd

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2025

‘They wanted well; they deserved to draw; they deserved to be there at the end. Only England’s second-ever draw under this Bazball ratio. The other one was also at this ground because of the rain. This one is drawn because England wouldn’t roll over, and those two left-handed batters were brilliant.’ Nasser added in the video.

Stokes later admitted in the press conference that with the next Test starting in three days, he was not too keen to take any chances with his main bowlers, who looked dead on their feet by the end of the clash.

Ben Stokes didn’t bowl in the second innings of England’s bowling on the fourth day of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in Manchester. That was a huge concern for the management, who had one man down in the five-man attack. Moreover, they had Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse playing their fourth game while Jofra Archer went back-to-back.

That made the situation a little hard for the home side as most of the feet were tight and heavy. It’s not that easy to put an extra yard, keeping an eye on the fifth game at the Kennington Oval in South London and the following Ashes 2025/26 trip. Nasser Hussain, the former captain of England, expressed his views on the all-rounder’s technical changes.

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‘Well, it will be a bit boring for the viewers, but we did an analysis in the Hawkeye on Stokes in split screen, how he has changed since 2019. You can check the changes of going back to a lower stance while delivering the ball, getting much skid, bounce, and pace. You check the pace and it has gone far back to where it was six years ago.’ Nasser Hussain addressed Sky Sports Cricket.

Watch: Nasser Hussain reflects on Ben Stokes’ technical bowling changes in ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

Stokes went through a marathon spell of bowling at Lord’s last week when he bowled two spells of 10 overs and earned the victory. In the first innings at Manchester, he crossed his 100th over mark and celebrated five wickets in the first innings.

"These great cricketers are always trying to evolve and get better" 📈

Nasser Hussain looks at the technical changes Ben Stokes has made to his bowling 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/R3ahUvFw8r

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2025

‘Broad has come out of the dressing room and talks about these. Stokes has always been a great bowler for swing and reverse swing, as we saw in Cape Town and Pakistan. Broad talked about how Ben is discussing with Jimmy Anderson to get the wobble seam, and that Shubman Gill's dismissal was a classic wobble. This is about the greatest cricketers. They don’t want to sit back but evolve around it.’ Hussain explained.

He started his bowling on the fifth day of the game and looked threatening at the start. It will be interesting to see how he manages himself in the last week before the Australia tour.

It was in the afternoon session of the fourth day’s play of the fourth Test between India and England at Old Trafford, where Ben Stokes was painting the picture of something potentially not right with his left knee. And that’s a huge concern for the home side, keeping an eye on the next game in three and later the upcoming Ashes 2025/26 trip.

Stokes ended his Test century drought after two years since the Ashes 2023 Lord’s century he made. Besides that, he also picked up a five-wicket haul in the first inning of the fixture. Now, if he gets injured, the entire balance of the side will get destroyed along with the captaincy responsibility, as the former England captain, Nasser Hussain, analyzed.

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‘I mean, the fact that he hasn’t bowled at all, we all know Ben Stokes. If it’s a bit of a cramp and he is feeling a bit sore and stiff, he will bowl to see how it is. The fact that he went down later (while stopping a ball), he just felt something at the top of the hamstring, and it’s not a new entry. He had issues in that area.’ Hussain said on Sky Sports Cricket.

Watch: Nasser Hussain shows concern about Ben Stokes’ fitness before Ashes 2025/26

‘You could argue that he had to be in the field, or he is so valuable that he should be off the field. The problem for England is that he has to play all the games because he is the captain. You talk about Archer being rotated, Bumrah will play, but Stokes has to play all five. And in those games, he has to bat and bowl, and because he is doing those so well, he will be exhausted.’ Nasser Hussain added.

🗣️ "You could even debate whether he should be on the field."

How concerning that Ben Stokes didn't bowl today? pic.twitter.com/kNuxqOnlcX

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2025

Stokes has bowled over 100 overs in the series, along with putting in the dives and stretches in the middle. Moreover, he batted for a long time. With the series already reaching its fifth day on every single occasion, it starts to take a toll on the body.

‘The other problem for them is that Carse has played all four, Woakes has played all four, as has Stokes, and there will be (some tired heavy legs). That’s the series where every game has gone five days. It’s now about the physical demands of Test cricket that’s taking its toll. Mentally and physically, it tests you.’ The former England captain addressed.

Since Rishabh Pant’s injury news broke out, that the wicket-keeper batter had been ruled out for the next six weeks and will miss the remainder of the Test series and could miss the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, lots of discussions have started on the ICC allowing the teams' substitution to replace their injured players.

The former England captain, Nasser Hussain, has highlighted that he would not like to see the law come into effect, given that he feels that the players and teams would then start to use it to their advantage, as he pointed out the issues around the concussion substitutes have on many occasions in the past.

See Also: Breaking News!! Rishabh Pant’s latest injury update revealed for ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

‘I am not a fan of that, to be honest. If you have to make any changes to the playing conditions and the law, players use that to their advantage. You can use the substitute to your advantage. If it’s a like-for-like substitute, like the concussion substitutes, then maybe. But even with concussion substitute, we have seen occasionally some odd changes.’

Watch: Nasser Hussain expresses his view on injury substitute

The Chennai-born pointed out that there would be a time when a team, after four days, would look to replace their off-spinner with a leg spinner, and suddenly, out of nowhere, the former would pick up an odd injury to get replaced. And that would break the balance of the format in the future.

Should Test cricket allow injury substitutes? 🤔

Nasser Hussain weighs in on the debate... pic.twitter.com/43jtqzmTcd

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 24, 2025

‘So you can have four days of game, and suddenly you want a different type of spinner. You may want to replace a finger spinner with a wrist spinner. And then, miraculously, your finger spinner would have a hammy, and you swap it over. Anything you change, players will work with that and try to use it to their advantage. I am not a fan of substitution in cricket because it can be maneuvered in certain directions.’ Hussain added.

Earlier, another former captain, Michael Vaughan, argued that they should bring the substitute into the game, especially on those occasions where there is so much excitement in a series and no one wants to see a player like Rishabh Pant getting out and a team featuring in the rest of the format with 10 players.

English cricket pundits Nasser Hussain and Stuart Broad have expressed their concern and hope for a quick recovery for Rishabh Pant, following his injury during the Manchester Test. Pant, who had been batting fluently, suffered a painful blow in the 68th over while attempting a reverse sweep. The ball took an under-edge and struck just above his right toe. Clearly in agony, Pant was unable to put weight on his foot and had to be carried off the field in an ambulance. The incident left Indian fans and commentators alike anxious about his condition.

Pant was rushed to a nearby medical facility, where he awaited the results of scans scheduled for Wednesday, July 23. While the full extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed, early suspicion points to a possible toe fracture. However, Nasser Hussain and Stuart Broad, speaking on Sky Sports, remained hopeful that it was just a bad bruise. Both wished for Pant’s return to action on Day 2, acknowledging the significant role the wicketkeeper-batter plays in India's batting lineup during this crucial fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

See Also: ENG vs IND 2025: Rishabh Pant goes past Rohit Sharma's six-hitting tally, just one behind Virender Sehwag

“It has been India’s day – except for the injury to Pant. That is a big blow and it will be interesting what we hear overnight about that. Hopefully he is okay. This game needs Pant and the series has been blessed by having him in it. Both sets of fans cheered him today when he came out to bat," Hussain said on Sky Sports at the end of the day's play.

Pant has been wonderful to watch and commentate on: Stuart Broad

Rishabh Pant showcased a brilliant display of batting during the second session of the fourth Test on Wednesday in Manchester. Coming in after captain Shubman Gill's dismissal, Pant faced a challenging period and successfully forged a vital 72-run partnership with Sai Sudharsan across the second and third sessions. His attacking approach against England’s seamers saw him play several exquisite strokes, adding crucial momentum to India’s innings. Former England pacer Stuart Broad praised Pant’s efforts and expressed hope that the Indian medical staff could get him ready to return for Day 2 of the Test match.

"Pant has been wonderful to watch and commentate on. He's wonderful for world cricket, and we hope he recovers. The medical staff will be icing that swelling all night, and hopefully it's just a bruise and he can come out to bat," Broad added.

The third Test between India and England at Lord’s saw tempers flare on multiple occasions, with key players from both sides involved in heated exchanges. Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, Zak Crawley, and Ben Duckett were particularly aggressive throughout the match, fueling the intense atmosphere on the field. The flashpoint came during the sixth over of England’s second innings, when Siraj celebrated Ben Duckett’s dismissal by charging toward him in an animated manner.

As a result, Siraj was fined 15 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The ICC stated that Siraj was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions, or gestures that disparage or that could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match," Siraj accepted the charge proposed by match referee Richie Richardson, thereby avoiding a formal hearing.

The incident was formally reported by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, along with third umpire Ahsan Raza and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd. According to the ICC, Level 1 offenses carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum of 50 percent of the match fee, in addition to demerit points.

"Game of Emotions," Says Hussain in Siraj's Defense

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain came out strongly in support of Siraj, arguing that the pacer's passion should not have been penalized. “One of the highlights of the Test match was the way India went at Crawley. For a start, let's talk about time-wasting. They (England openers) started 90 seconds later than they should have! They were very street-smart in the way they slowly walked down the stairs, pretending to get lost in the long room. India rightly went at them, and that obviously fired everyone up," Hussain told Sky Sports.

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“Then, Siraj was fired up. I think he's a better cricketer when he's fired up. You'd love to have Siraj on your side. I didn't think he should've been fined. He went close to the line, he was right in Duckett's face, and he didn't barge at Duckett. If anything, Duckett went in that direction to get off the pitch. It wasn't a shoulder barge. I think it's a game of emotions, and you don't need 22 robots. I love the tension,” Hussain added.