The Indian men's cricket team is safe and in good spirits despite a brief security concern that saw them confined to their hotel rooms in Birmingham. The incident unfolded when local police advised the players not to step out of their hotel following the detection of a suspicious parcel near Centenary Square. The team had just returned after a practice session on the eve of the second Test at Edgbaston when the advisory was issued.

A team spokesperson confirmed that there was no cause for alarm. "Everything is fine," the spokesperson told IANS in response to queries. Social media platforms, however, were abuzz with speculation, with several posts claiming the Indian players were being held inside due to a security scare. The post added, “The Indian team in Birmingham has been advised to stay indoors after Police cordoned off the Centenary Square area following reports of a suspicious package being found in the area.”

West Midlands Police confirmed that a cordon had been temporarily established around Centenary Square to assess the unattended parcel, which had sparked concern. Fortunately, the situation was resolved swiftly—the cordon was lifted within an hour after investigations revealed there was no threat.

Team Gears Up Amid Disruption

The Indian team is presently concentrating on preparations for the second Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Edgbaston. They had arrived in Birmingham last week after the conclusion of the first Test at Headingley in Leeds, where they suffered a narrow defeat.

See Also: Key pointers from Shubman Gill press conference ahead of 2nd Test between England and India

England, led by Ben Stokes, took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after successfully chasing down 371 runs on the final day to seal a five-wicket win. While five Indians were in the match, a poor performance from the lower order and poor fielding cost them dearly. Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, India will be looking to regroup and come back strong in the second Test.

It is June 29, 2025, the one-year anniversary of India's phenomenal victory in the T20 World Cup 2024—a day that cricket fans in India will always remember well past the century. A year ago in Barbados, Rohit Sharma's men brought national glory home after 11 years by winning the T20 World Cup Final against South Africa by 7 runs. The memories are so vivid still, and today, match spots and cricket supporters all over the globe are reliving that golden moment again.

From Rohit Sharma's emotional turn as captain to Hardik Pandya's nerveless last splash over in cricket's premier format to Suryakumar Yadav's pivotal match catch, the T20 World Cup Final 2024 had many goosebump moments for fans. A year later, all of those moments are being relived through video clips and highlights—fan art showcasing pride and even emotional tributes are filling our socials. What India did in 2024 was not just a unique win—it was a momentous celebration that rallied every Indian together to share in its joy and pride.

Today, fans are not only celebrating the exhilarating last match but also celebrating the entire magical journey they took along the way—the open bus parade in Mumbai, the cheers at Wankhede Stadium, and the players soaking up the adulation of over a billion Indians. Social media is filled with reposts of Rohit Sharma's speech saying, "This trophy is for the nation," and Hardik Pandya's heartfelt "A day we will never forget." It feels like Diwali all over again—cricket, culture, togetherness, and love.

Also read: OTD: Sachin Tendulkar completed individual 15,000 ODI runs

Twitter Explodes with Emotional Tributes and Fan Celebrations

THE WINNING MOMENT OF INDIAN TEAM IN THE T20I WORLD CUP 2024 🥺🇮🇳

- The raw Emotions at Barbados was Peak. pic.twitter.com/1RABsgtCwD

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2025

Instagram post of Captain Rohit Sharma 🇮🇳

- 29th, June 2024, One of the Greatest Days in Indian Cricket. pic.twitter.com/9G4DYFo105

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2025

THE ROHIT SHARMA WALK FOR HOLDING THE TROPHY 🥺

- The Captain for the Ages....!!! pic.twitter.com/xjR3RZ1lKL

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2025

For India in 2024 T20WC

Most Runs - Rohit (257)
Highest Score - Rohit (92)
Highest SR - Rohit (156.70)
Most 50s - Rohit (3)
Most 4s - Rohit (24)
Most 6s - Rohit (15)
Most Top Scores - Rohit (3)

(1 Year Anniversary of 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗧𝟮𝟬 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝗰𝘂𝗽) pic.twitter.com/dyoOFwRyle

— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) June 28, 2025

- 144 runs with bat.
- 11 wickets with ball.

Hardik Pandya is the Only Indian Cricketer to have 100+ runs & 10+ wickets in a T20I World Cup Edition. 🇮🇳👑 pic.twitter.com/2zrA3iE77W

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2025

#OnThisDay in 2024

India Won T20 Worldcup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/D6FuecgYvy

— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) June 28, 2025

The Indian team has entered a new phase as India is up against England under the captaincy of a new skipper, Shubman Gill. Whenever the Indian team has played against the Three Lions in England, we have witnessed some exciting moments.

In this article, we discuss three Indian bowlers who have claimed the highest wickets in testing and challenging English conditions. The bowlers mentioned in the list have showcased ice-cool temperament and used their bowling skills cleverly to outfox the English batters. We discuss these bowlers in detail:

1.Ishant Sharma (51 Wickets in 15 Tests)

Ishant Sharma has bowled well in seaming English conditions as the pacer has claimed 51 wickets in 15 tests that he has played in England against England. During the Lord's test in July 2014, he registered figures of 7/74 in the second innings, helping India win by 95 runs.

Sharma troubled English batters with his swing, pace and bounce as he used his length to good effect. He claimed 18 wickets during the 2018 tour of England and toured England four times.

2. Kapil Dev (43 Wickets in 13 Tests)

Former India all-rounder showcased impressive skills when it came to causing problems with his clever outswingers or leg cutters. He could generate pace even on slow wickets. The former India captain toured England four times with two five-wicket hauls.

He registered his best figures of 5/125 during the Lord's Test in June 1982. Kapil Dev claimed 43 wickets in 13 tests he played in England against England. The Haryana Hurricane, as he was fondly called during his playing days, claimed 16 wickets during India's tour of England.

3. Mohammad Shami (42 Wickets in 14 Tests)

Mohammad Shami has produced some impressive performances with his clever seam movements combined with his pace in testing English conditions. The 36-year-old pacer toured England three times, claiming 42 wickets in 14 tests. 

Shami registered his best bowling figures in tests in England in 2014 when he registered figures of 4/57 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. During the 2018 series, he registered 16 wickets in 5 tests.

Intense moment during team India's practice session. But in a funny way, or, it can say, in a positive way also. Ahead of the first match of the 5-match series against England, Indian players have been working hard on a regular basis to keep themselves match-ready.

Without the legends like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, the upcoming Test matches can prove to be golden opportunities for the young cricketers if they offer their best, as the head coach Gautam Gambhir said before taking off from India to the UK.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tries to form a balanced and strong squad to face the Englishmen in their backyard. As for now, the visiting team, that is, Team India, keeps their focus strong only to get the best possible result.

Read More: Sachin Tendulkar joins social media platform Reddit as brand ambassador

It shows the hunger to win a compitition 

A video, recently shared on social media platform 'X,' showed an intense moment between cricketers during their practice. The exact mode of practice is not clear from the video, but sure, players were engaging in some interesting tasks. A casual match between the boys may not be impossible to think.

Whatever the task or drill, players are undoubtedly on full charge, and from their body language, it is clear they can feel the urge to win a battle. During the intense moment, where a few cricketers were exchanging words with each other, other players and staff were with smiling faces, enjoying the moment. May be a 'Kalesh,' but probably in a positive way. 

Watch the moment here in the video:

Team India ke fun kalesh over throwing session 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/TI5px9SZBr

— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) June 18, 2025

Team India will eye the best possible note to start the 5-match Test series against England starting from June 20 at Leeds. Prior to the match and series, Shubman Gill and Co. were caught on camera training hard on the ground with fielding coach T. Dilip, who was reappointed by the BCCI keeping the importance of the series in mind.

Dilip is a popular figure among Indian cricketers; they love to train with him. That's clearly visible through the video shared by the Indian Cricket Team on the internet. The newly shaped Indian Test team wants to furnish every corner of their department inch-perfectly before the first match of the series.

Good fielding can provide the team an extra edge. If the players are able to convert the half chances, then the opposition may have to deal with extra pressure. So, Team India consumed some hard training seasons with Dilip to polish their fielding skills, especially polishing the techniques to accomplish high and low catches.

Read More: Tilak Varma joins Hampshire for current English County season

Team India wants to turn all stones

Newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill, along with Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and other players in the mix, looked focused during the special training season. It seems from the video that the cricketers also enjoyed the session pretty much. Gill, during the intense drill, was trying to encourage the boys with words. 

Team India, currently going through the transition phase, will offer their best on the field to regain their regime in Whites. Last time, when India was up against New Zealand and Australia, it had to leave the ground with humiliation only. Because of repeated poor results, Rohit Sharma's team, for the first time, missed the WTC final. Gill and his boys have to pull the team out of the mud to drive on the right track. 

Watch the training here

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam)

Team India has begun their practice season in England ahead of their 5-match Test series assignment. The series will mark a new chapter of Indian cricket with Shubman Gill as the captain after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently shared a video from their official social media account, showing the training session of the team. The five-match series is scheduled to commence on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. In the video we can see players engaged in stretching exercises and playing football in an indoor facility, along with running and fielding drills in the practice ground. BCCI describes the video with the caption, "Prep Begins. First sight of #TeamIndia getting into the groove in England."

The five-match series is set to commence on June 20 in Leeds, and the fifth and final match will be from July 23 to July 27. Along with the new captain, multiple cricketers like Karun Nair will try to impress the board officials in this highly anticipated series. 

Read more: MSCMR vs BB Dream11 Prediction Match 17 Fantasy Cricket Tips Mumbai T20 League 2025

Watch the training session here

TEAM INDIA'S FIRST PRACTICE SESSION IN ENGLAND. 🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/q1j5h1OrAC

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 8, 2025

India vs. England Test Series 2025 Schedule

• First Test: June 20-24, Headingley (Leeds)
• Second Test: July 2-6, Edgbaston (Birmingham)
• Third Test: July 10-14, Lord’s (London)
• Fourth Test, July 23-27, Old Trafford (Manchester)
• Fifth Test: July 31-August 4, The Oval (London)

India squad for England series

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

Jasprit Bumrah, in his latest interview with former Australia international Michael Clarke, disclosed his thoughts about aggressive celebrations on the field. Fast bowlers normally presented themselves on the field with an aggressive nature.

Nowadays, even non-pacers have been showing outrageous excitement in the form of aggression during a match that may not be necessary to perform well in a competition, feels Jasprit Bumrah. The India pacer, one of the best performers in modern-time cricket, rarely wrapped himself with anger or aggression.

Normally, Bumrah just spreads both his arms like two wings and floats on the surface after taking any wicket; that's the trademark celebration from the speed star. Bumrah in the interview clearly said that he stepped onto the field to win, not to show aggression.

Read More: England Lions vs India A Live streaming details, 1st Unofficial Test: How to watch ENG-L vs IND-A Telecast on TV and online?

These are the words from Bumrah about celebration

"I play to win, not for aggressive celebrations. You have to respect opponents, and I don’t like to cross the line or behave like a clown." The question from Clarke was, "You bowl 150 kmph, and after taking a wicket, you don't celebrate aggressively. Why?" 

Bumrah was the only standout performer for India when they traveled to Australia for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where Team India found no match to level with the host team. Now, India is set to travel to England for a 5-match Test series where the pacer again can take center stage. Bumrah has an impressive track record against England during the home and away series. 

Watch the part of the interview here

Michael Clarke: "You bowl 150 kmph and after taking a wicket, you don't celebrate aggressively. Why?"

Bumrah: "I play to win, not for aggressive celebrations. You have to respect opponents, and I don’t like to cross the line or behave like a clown."
(Bro indirectly cooked… pic.twitter.com/eW4f6Po0vf

— Veer (@WorshipRohit) May 30, 2025

A rocking performance by Jemimah Rodrigues. The note written by Smriti Mandhana was later well synchronized by Rodrigues with a roaring ton. The right-handed batter held her bat like a guitar and celebrated the century with style. Rodrigues's 123-run knock proved crucial when South Africa was chasing India's 337 aggressively. 

The India Women's team is currently in Sri Lanka for a tri-nation tournament. Match 5 of the tournament was between India W and South Africa W. The wicket in R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, where both the teams collided, ended in a high-scoring affair. Team India and South Africa, both sides with an intention to win the game, scored per 300, but Harmanpreet Kaur led Women in Blue got a slightly better hand over the match and marched off the ground as the winning team. 

India, batting first, put a mammoth total of 337 on the scoreboard in the 50-over limit in exchange for 9 wickets. In the initial phase of the match, it was Mandhana who set the stage for the possible huge score. The opener took 63 deliveries to score 51 with 6 boundaries. The middle-order batters of the team added extra firepower for a successful launch.

Read More: Virat Kohli drops 5 bombshell revelations in latest RCB podcast: Click to read more

A highly energetic, neck to neck match between India W and South Africa W

Watch a moment of Jemimah's innings here

Jemimah Rodrigues scores her 2nd WODI ton🔥 WHAT A KNOCK👏#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/3HFpX2D6U7

— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) May 7, 2025

Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma went berserk in the middle game of the first innings. Sharma missed her century only by 7 runs; Jemimah ended her innings after scripting a 123-run innings, facing 101 balls; her innings was decorated with fifteen 4s and one 6. 

In the second innings, the South African batter is able to maintain a good balance between remaining deliveries and required runs. Annerie Dercksen emerged as the highest scorer with 81 for her team. But it was their skipper, Chole Tryon, who threatened Indian bowlers most with a 43-ball, 67-run innings. South Indian Women's was getting closer and closer to the target set by India, but they didn't manage to touch the finish line. Team India won the high-octane match by 23 runs. 

On May 6, 2025, Gautam Gambhir, who is the head coach of the Indian cricket team, addressed the ABP Network’s India@2047 Summit to elaborate on India’s successful Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. The summit was organized to facilitate discussion around India’s future in several different sectors, and Gambhir was given a session as part of the sporting fraternity. The session was entitled "All for One, One for All," as Gambhir shared the underlying theme that resulted in India’s success in the prestigious tournament, which drew a lot of appreciation and chatter amongst fans. 

In his address, Gambhir pointed to the players' collective effort and genuine unity as the true contributors to the Champions Trophy victory. He expressed that the win was not a singular player’s brilliance but was solely based on the tireless commitment of every player, support staff, and fan, who held the team together. Gambhir was sure to emphasize that the reason for India's success was consistent performances in tough moments, and very many voices on social media noted his articulated focus on teamwork rather than star culture. His remarks came as a subtle response to ongoing debates, including Sunil Gavaskar’s recent comments questioning Gambhir’s approach to the tournament’s reward distribution.

Also Read: WATCH: Gautam Gambhir picks Virat Kohli’s body – Shocking Reason!

Gambhir won the Champions Trophy 2025 win, which was huge news, as he took over in 2024 at the age of 42, being the youngest in the history of Indian cricket to take the role. However, his journey hasn’t been without scrutiny. At the summit, Gambhir also addressed critics head-on, defending his contributions to Indian cricket and taking a dig at former players who, in his words, treat the sport as their “personal fiefdom.” The fans embraced Gambhir’s honesty, liking his no-nonsense approach to leadership and hence sporting culture based upon merit. 

Watch the video here:

Bodied some haters, well done Gautam Gambhir Ji 🔥pic.twitter.com/bACuggXlUD

— Abhishek (@vicharabhio) May 6, 2025

Gambhir’s Vision for Team India’s Future

Gautam Gambhir's insights at the summit signal a promising direction for Indian cricket, emphasizing unity, resilience, and a collective drive to win. His focus on team-oriented success rather than individual glory reflects a shift toward a more cohesive and purpose-driven approach.

As the highly anticipated Test series against England approaches, Gambhir’s mantra of shared responsibility is poised to shape the team's mindset and strategy. Indian cricket fans have reason to be optimistic, as his leadership philosophy could play a pivotal role in defining the nation's cricketing journey ahead.

Sri Lanka, the host nation of the tri-nation series along with India Women and South Africa Women from Sunday, April 27, will face Harmanpreet Kaur's Women in Blue bridge in the tournament opener. All three teams are ready to put all their efforts into the field with their possible best lineup. With a strong squad, India has a good chance to outperform the other two teams. The tournament will start on April 27 and conclude on May 11.

Every team will face each other twice in the process; the best two teams will reach the final on May 11. South Africa should want to prove their mettle in the series, as they have good squad depth and a bunch of talented cricketers. They can prove to be more dangerous as a chasing side.

Each squads for the series 

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Tejal Hasabnis, Sree Charani, and Shuchi Upadhyay.

Players to watch: Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodriguez, Arundhati Reddy, Yastika Bhatia, and Richa Ghosh.

Read More: Live streaming Details: Where & How to watch Zimbabwe Women tour of USA, 2025

South Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sun Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nondumiso Shangase, Mian Smit, Chlo Tryon.

Players to watch: Tazmin Brits, Annerie Dercksen, and Nadine de Klerk. 

Sri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Hasini Perera, Piumi Wathsala, Manudi Nanayakkara, Dewmi Vihanga, Inoka Ranaweera, Inoshi Fernando, Hansima Karunaratne, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara, Sugandika Kumari, and Achini Kulasuriya.

Players to watch: Chamari Attapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Anushka Sanjeewani, and Kavisha Dilhari.

The schedule of the tri-nation tournament:

1st ODI: Sri Lanka vs. India, Sunday, April 27

2nd ODI: India vs. South Africa, Tuesday, April 29

3rd ODI: Sri Lanka vs. South Africa, Friday, May 2

4th ODI: Sri Lanka vs. India, Sunday, May 4

5th ODI: South Africa vs. India, Wednesday, May 7

6th ODI: Sri Lanka vs. South Africa, Friday, May 9

Final: TBD, Sunday, 11 May