As the visitors England have already lost the Ashes 2025-26, where the hosts Australia are leading the five-match series by 3-0 with two to go, England made two changes in the playing XI for the upcoming fourth Test, the Boxing Day Test  at Melbourne. 

England have completely failed in the Ashes 2025-26, while they had the expectation to produce one of their best performances on Australian soil. After losing the first two Tests by eight wickets each, they suffered an 82-run defeat in their last Test. Although they had some momentum on this tour, their indisciplined performances affected them hugely. 

It is time for some redemption despite already losing the series. While a 4-0 or 5-0 series status will make them really poor, England are desperate to find a better status by producing some quality performances in the last two Tests on the tour. 

The Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne is ready for the 2025 Boxing Day Test. While the match will begin on December 26, Boxing Day, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the squad for the upcoming Melbourne Test on December 24.

England's change for Melbourne Test: Gus Atkinson replaced injured Jofra Archer

There are two changes for England for the upcoming Boxing Day Test, including one forced change. While Jofra Archer has been ruled out from remainder of the tour due to a left side strain, Gus Atkinson is set to replace Archer. Atkinson was dropped from the third Test at Adelaide due to mostly ineffective performances in the first two Tests of this tour. While he remained wicketless in the series opener at Perth, he got three wickets in the day/night pink-ball Test at Brisbane. 

See Also: ECB to investigate England team’s Noosa break ahead of 4th Ashes 2025/26 Test

England's change for Melbourne Test: Jacob Bethell replaced out of form Ollie Pope

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Jacob Bethell is set to replace the no.3 batter Ollie Pope. In this tour, Pope's scores were 46, 33, 0, 26, 3, and 17 runs, respectively. 

The batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell has played four Tests, where he has scored 271 runs with an average of 38.71, including three half-centuries, and also picked up three wickets. During India's tour of England in 2025, Bethell featured in the last Test, which was his only Test this year before the forthcoming Boxing Day Test. 

England's playing XI for the Boxing Day Test in the Ashes 2025-26

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (Captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue. 

The 15-member Indian squad has been announced for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, where the defending champions India will also play as the co-hosts along with Sri Lanka, which will run from February 7 to March 8, 2026. Here, we will know the strongest playing XI for Team India for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. 

In the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, India can make history in three ways: as they can be the first team to defend the title, win the title at home, and be the first team to win the trophy for the third time. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian T20I team is firing, as the Men in Blues have set the fearless examples. 

See Also: Why is Shubman Gill dropped from India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad?

Possible Indian playing XI for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

Despite a few shocking inclusions/exclusions for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, most of the positions are already sorted. Abhishek Sharma will have the opening partner Sanju Samson, who returned to the playing XI during the last game of the five-match home T20I series against South Africa and impressed as an opener. 

Versatile and in-form Tilak Varma can handle the no.3 batting role, while struggling skipper Suryakumar Yadav can choose the no.4 batting order.

The middle-order batting powers have the names of Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube. 

While Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah will take the pace-bowling responsibilities, Kuldeep Yadav and the no.1 T20I bowler Varun Chakaravarthy will take the spin-bowling responsibilities. 

Meanwhile, all-rounder Washington Sundar can also be in the battle for the playing XI, as he can replace Kuldeep Yadav, if India want to make the batting line-up longer. 

Team India's strongest playing XI for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav/Washington Sundar

Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma was seen giving valuable advice to young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal during a practice session in Adelaide as Team India prepares for the second ODI against Australia on Thursday, October 23, 2025. With Australia leading the three-match series 1-0, India is under pressure to bounce back.

Jaiswal, who made his ODI debut earlier this year against England, is still trying to establish himself in India’s white-ball setup. Though he has been reliable in Tests, his chances in ODIs and T20Is have been rare. Rohit’s guidance on handling Adelaide’s pitch conditions could be crucial for the left-hander as he looks to make an impact.

India had a tough outing in the series opener on a bouncy Perth pitch, suffering a seven-wicket defeat. Rohit, returning after a seven-month break from international cricket, looked rusty and was dismissed for just eight runs by Josh Hazlewood. Despite stepping down from the captaincy, the 38-year-old remains focused on contributing as a senior batter.

Team India Looks to Veterans for Comeback

India is undergoing a transition phase with new ODI skipper Shubman Gill leading the team in Australia. The team is banking on seasoned stars such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to guide the youth and steady performances after a poor beginning.

Watch the video here

🚨 RR mentor Shri Rohit sharma was spotted giving tips to young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal before second ODI vs Aus 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/8DkJZwlleg

— Rish (@Nonegivesshit) October 21, 2025

See Also: Why Sarfaraz Khan excluded from India A squad aganist South Africa A series: Explained

Virat Kohli also returned to action in Perth but endured a rare failure, dismissed for a duck by Mitchell Starc. It was his first duck in 30 innings on Australian soil, with Starc’s swing proving difficult as Kohli faced a maiden over before getting out. With the series on the line, India will look to regroup and rely on its veterans and young guns to challenge Australia in the pivotal second ODI at Adelaide.

As India prepares to face off against Australia in the first ODI of a three-match series at Optus Stadium, Perth, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has released his predicted India XI with some surprising selections. This match will signal the beginning of Shubman Gill’s era of captaincy in ODIs, as the national team begins its process of building a new core for the 2027 World Cup (in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe).

Chopra believes that India will go for experience at the top, naming Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as the openers, with Virat Kohli in at 3. With the middle order consisting of Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain and KL Rahul as first-choice wicketkeeper, this means that young Yashasvi Jaiswal will likely miss out on the opening match.

With Hardik Pandya unavailable due to injury, Chopra suggested taking a chance on Nitish Kumar Reddy in the lower middle order. To maintain balance, he named Axar Patel and Washington Sundar as spin-bowling all-rounders, which surprisingly drops Kuldeep Yadav from the XI, despite his superb performance in the Asia Cup 2025, where he was the tournament's leading wicket-taker after taking 17 wickets.

Who makes the cut in @cricketaakash's playing XI for India’s 1st ODI vs Australia? 🤔

What’s your take? Tell us your ideal XI in the comments! 👇✍️#AUSvIND 👉🏻 1st ODI | SUN, 19th OCT on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/QKfuQqwuRp

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 15, 2025

See Also: [WATCH] “Good friendship…”- Yashasvi Jaiswal shares bond with Shubman Gill and his leadership

Chopra's Take on Bowlers and Team Balance

Chopra asserted that they only missed out on Kuldeep to add depth to India's batting and keep the option open for changes on a fast wicket in Perth. He added that Axar and Washington could bat and provide some control in the middle overs, which could be extremely valuable in Australian conditions.

On the bowling side, with Jasprit Bumrah rested, Chopra opted for a pace attack of Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and the newly introduced Harshit Rana—who had recently been defended by head coach Gautam Gambhir after critics questioned the team selection.  Prasidh Krishna will be sitting on the bench for the opening match of the series.

Aakash Chopra's predicted XI:

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh.

India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, has confirmed that the home side will likely stick with an unchanged playing XI for the upcoming second Test against the West Indies. The series decider will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with Shubman Gill leading the side. Doeschate’s comments indicate that India will not rest key pacer Jasprit Bumrah, despite already leading the two-match series 1-0.

In the pre-match press conference, Doeschate hinted that the same group of players who featured in the Ahmedabad Test would take the field again. His remarks effectively ruled out any major shake-up in the lineup. The assistant coach also stressed India’s long-term vision of developing young talents like Nitish Reddy into dependable all-rounders for overseas tours.

While Bumrah’s inclusion seems certain, Doeschate highlighted that the management’s decision to persist with Nitish Reddy was part of a bigger plan. He said, “I'd say we're unlikely to change the combination. One of the sort of medium-term objectives is to develop a seam-bowling all-rounder for India, because it's very important when we go away on tours that we have that position covered. We didn't get a very good look at Nitish last week, so I think it's a very good opportunity to give Nitish another go and not alter the balance of the team.”

Sudharsan Under Pressure as Jurel’s Form Strengthens His Case

B Sai Sudharsan endured a tough start to the series, scoring just seven runs in the opening Test. In contrast, Dhruv Jurel shone brightly, smashing a brilliant century that played a crucial role in India’s dominant victory. With Jurel’s impressive form, there’s a strong chance he could be retained as a specialist batter even after Rishabh Pant’s eventual return to the squad.

See Also: "No issues with fitness..."- Mohammed Shami breaks silence on his omission from AUS vs IND ODI series

Doeschate acknowledged the competition within the team, noting that Sudharsan is aware of the challenges ahead. “I think he is under no illusion and he can't hide away from the fact that you do fight for a spot in this environment, where you saw Karun Nair get four Test matches in England [before getting dropped for the West Indies series]. There are a lot of good players fighting up the hill to whoever has possession of that spot,” he said. “I'd imagine it does put pressure on Sai Sudharsan. I think Dhruv showed last week just what a good player he is... there are other good players fighting for a top-three or top-four spot – obviously Shubman’s got four nailed down.”

Based on his statements, India are expected to stick to their winning combination from the Ahmedabad Test, with Padikkal, Axar Patel, Jagadeesan, and Prasidh Krishna likely to miss out on selection once again.

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has called for two key changes in the Indian playing XI ahead of the fourth Test against England, scheduled to begin on Wednesday, July 23, at Old Trafford. Vengsarkar backed the inclusion of left-arm duo Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, respectively, in a bid to strengthen India's bowling unit. Arshdeep, who earned his maiden Test call-up for this series, is yet to make his red-ball debut.

In the series so far, the team management has shuffled the third pacer's slot. At Headingley, Prasidh Krishna was preferred, followed by Akash Deep in the second Test when Bumrah was rested. With concerns around pacer workload and a long gap between matches, Vengsarkar believes it’s time to try Arshdeep, who can swing the ball both ways and offer something different. Kuldeep, despite India playing two spinners recently, has been left out, with Washington Sundar being preferred for his batting.

"I would drop Nitish Reddy and perhaps one more player to make room for Arshdeep. I think Siraj and Bumrah should keep their places, but Reddy could make way. Kuldeep Yadav could also replace someone like Washington Sundar. You need five bowlers in a Test match to win it. If your six batters can’t put up a good total, the bowlers need to take responsibility. You can’t win a Test match with part-time bowlers," Vengsarkar told RevSportz.

Arshdeep’s swing, Kuldeep’s spin, and Karun’s last chance?

The veteran further emphasized Arshdeep's suitability for English conditions. “I would pick Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav. Arshdeep is a good left-arm bowler who can move the ball in the air and off the wicket, which is crucial in English conditions. He can also reverse swing the ball, which is important. I have seen him bowl,” he said, backing the youngster for a debut in Manchester.

See Also: 'Expectancy is Tendulkar-Kohli Level'– Daniel Peacock hails India U19 star player, a fan favourite in England

Vengsarkar also spoke about Karun Nair, whose place in the XI is under scrutiny after a string of low scores since replacing Sai Sudharsan at No.3. “Karun Nair is a good player. He has shown promise but needs to convert those 30s and 40s into big scores. He’s an experienced player and knows what he has to do. I’d give him one more Test match to prove himself. He’s capable of scoring a hundred, and I hope he does in the next match,” he added, giving the batter one last opportunity to deliver.

Following a string of poor performances in the current Test series against England, Karun Nair's place in the Indian playing XI for the 4th Test at Old Trafford is in doubt. Nair has struggled to convert starts into big scores, managing only 131 runs at an average of 21.83 in three Tests to date. His best score in this series is only 40. This has opened up debate regarding substitutes for the vital upcoming match. Below are three players who might replace his position:

Sai Sudharsan

This left-handed batsman is a young player who is viewed as a future Indian Test player and might be given one more chance in the Tests. Although he scored a duck in the first innings, he followed it with a composed 30 in the second, showing glimpses of his potential. Sudharsan bats at No. 3—the same spot as Nair—and has been in excellent form in domestic cricket. With a first-class average of 39.93 and a career-best score of 213, he represents a strong long-term option for India in the top order.

Abhimanyu Easwaran

Abhimanyu Easwaran has been a consistent force in India’s domestic circuit and has regularly been part of India A squads. Despite not yet making his Test debut, he carries a wealth of red-ball experience with 7,841 runs at an average of 48.70, including 27 centuries. His recent 80 off 92 balls for India A against England Lions at No. 3 has strengthened his case. Easwaran also led India A against the England Lions and had a gritty 80 in the second innings following a first-innings duck.

See Also: India likely to drop 3 players for 4th Test against England at Old Trafford

Dhruv Jurel

A wicket-keeper batsman, Jurel has made an impression with his batting performance and technique, especially when facing the moving ball. He is a potential candidate to step in place of Nair and provide another layer to the batting unit of the team. He has scored 1,462 runs from 34 first-class matches at a staggering average of 48.73 with one century and 12 half-centuries to his credit. He is also a skilled wicketkeeper with 64 catches and 6 stumpings in first-class cricket. Jurel has played 4 Tests, with 202 runs at an average of 40.40, with one fifty to his name.

While the selectors have the final decision, these three players are strong contenders for the likely absence of Karun Nair in the Indian 4th Test squad against England.

In the Final of the MLC 2025, the Washington Freedom vs MI New York (WAS vs NY) match will be played at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie in Dallas on Sunday evening, July 13 (starting at 05:30 on July 14). It will be the battle between the inaugural MLC champions (MI New York won the MLC 2023) and the defending MLC champions (Washington Freedom won the MLC 2024).

It will be their third meeting in the MLC 2025. Washington Freedom won both their league stage meetings this season by two wickets (with four balls remaining) and six wickets (with 18 balls remaining) after successfully chasing 189 and 113-run targets, respectively.

See Also: MLC 2025, NY vs WAS Final: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Final: WAS vs NY - Teams' Forms

At the end of the league stage in the MLC 2025, Washington Freedom finished on top of the points table with 16 points after 10 games with eight wins and two losses. While they advanced to the Qualifier, the rain washed out game (with toss) against the second-placed Texas Super Kings helped the defending champions qualify for the Final of the tournament through the better position in the final points table.   

Meanwhile, MI New York earned the Eliminator ticket after finishing in fourth place in the MLC 2025 points table by earning six points in ten matches, recording three wins and seven losses. In the Eliminator, they beat the third-placed San Francisco Unicorns by two wickets after successfully chasing the 132-run target in a thriller. Qualifying for the Challenger, they beat the Qualifier losers Texas Super Kings by seven wickets (chasing the 167-run target) to ultimately advance to the Final.  

MLC 2025, Final: WAS vs NY Probable Playing XI

Washington Freedom Predicted Playing XI: Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Owen, Andries Gous (wk), Glenn Maxwell (Captain), Jack Edwards, Glenn Phillips, Ian Holland, Obus Pienaar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Lockie Ferguson

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, George Linde, Rushil Ugarkar

The MLC 2025 has entered its penultimate state as Texas Super Kings vs MI New York (TEX vs NY) will be played in the Challenger of the tournament. Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie will be played on Friday evening, July 11 (starting at 05:30 IST on July 12). 

The winner of the match will face the defending champions Washington Freedom in the Final of the tournament this Sunday, July 14 (Indian time, July 15). 

It will be their third meeting of this season. In both their league stage meetings, Texas Super Kings won by three runs and 39 runs, respectively. 

See Also: MLC 2025, TEX vs NY Challenger: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Challenger: TEX vs NY - Teams Forms

In the league stage of the MLC 2025, Texas Super Kings finished in the second place with 14 points after 10 matches with seven wins and three losses. Meanwhile, MI New York ended in the fourth position with six points after 10 games with three wins and seven losses. 

While Texas Super Kings advanced to the Qualifier, they had a washout game (with a toss) against the table-toppers Washington Freedom, who earned 16 points in the league stage with eight wins and two losses, and Freedom advanced to the Final of the tournament.

Meanwhile, MI New York have qualified for the Challenger after securing a two-wicket win in the final-over Eliminator thriller against San Franchisco Unicorns, where New York successfully chased the 132-run target in 19.3 overs after losing eight wickets. 

MLC 2025, Challenger: TEX vs NY Probable Playing XI

Texas Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Smit Patel (wk), Faf du Plessis (Captain), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shubham Ranjane, Marcus Stoinis, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Akeal Hossain, Zia Ul Haq Muhammad, Noor Ahmad, Adam Milne

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, George Linde, Rushil Ugarkar

In the Eliminator of the MLC 2025, the San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York (SF vs NY) match will be played on Wednesday evening, July 9 (starting at 05:30 IST on July 10), at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie in Dallas.

The winners of the Eliminator will advance to the Challenger, where they will face the Qualifier losers, Texas Super Kings (lost the washout Qualifier against Washington Freedom due to lower rank in the final MLC 2025 points table). On the other hand, the Eliminator losers will end their journey in the tournament.   

See Also: MLC 2025, SF vs NY Eliminator: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Eliminator: SF vs NY - Teams Form

It will be their third meeting in the MLC 2025. San Francisco Unicorns won both their league stage meetings this season by three wickets and 47 runs, respectively. 

At the end of the league stage in the MLC 2025, San Francisco Unicorns finished in third place with 14 points in 10 games, with seven wins and three losses. The MLC 2024 runners-up won only once in their last four games. 

Meanwhile, the MLC 2023 champions, MI New York, finished the MLC 2025 league stage in fourth place with six points after 10 games, having won three and lost seven. Although they had the same six points as Seattle Orcas, New York finished with a better net run rate. In their last three matches, they won twice before losing the last one.

So, in the case of a complete washout in the Eliminator, San Francisco Unicorns will advance to the Challenger due to a higher ranking in the final points table of the MLC 2025.  

MLC 2025, Eliminator: SF vs NY - Playing XIs Status

San Francisco Unicorns will miss the joint leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, due to his injury. Meanwhile, MI New York are ready to go with their best possible XI. 

MLC 2025, Eliminator: SF vs NY Probable Playing XI

San Francisco Unicorns Predicted Playing XI: Matthew Short (Captain), Finn Allen, Jake Fraser McGurk, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hassan Khan, Hammad Azam, Romario Shephard, Xavier Bartlett, Brody Couch, Liam Plunkett, Karime Gore

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, George Linde, Ehsan Adil