Thursday, June 18
Divya Deshmukh, an Indian chess player, won the FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi. She defeated Koneru Humpy in the final through an intense tie-break. This victory also earned her the Grandmaster title. Ju Wenjun of China is still the reigning Women's World Champion. Divya's World Cup win qualifies her for the Candidates Tournament.
India, already trailing 1-2 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, aim to draw the series against England in the final Test at The Oval. Wasim Jaffer suggests an XI featuring Kuldeep Yadav amid injuries to key players like Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah. The lineup emphasises a strong batting order and a three-man spin attack to salvage pride.
Mohammed Siraj achieves a rare feat, joining Kapil Dev and Vinoo Mankad as the only Indian bowlers to play all five Tests of an overseas series thrice, securing 10 or more wickets each time. As India trail 2-1 against England, Siraj's 14 wickets so far makes him a key player in the crucial final Test at The Oval.
Sourav Ganguly has criticised India's decision to exclude Kuldeep Yadav from the Test series against England, arguing that his quality spin was needed to take wickets on the flatter pitches, especially during the second, third, and fourth Tests.
India prepare for the series-deciding fifth Test against England at The Oval on Thursday, trailing 2-1. Injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant pose challenges, with Narayan Jagadeesan added as cover. Deepak Chahar’s surprise presence at training has sparked speculation. England, missing Ben Stokes, makes four changes, while India must win to avoid a series defeat.
During the India versus England Test match, Sunil Gavaskar expressed his desire to have Jasprit Bumrah and Ben Stokes in his past team. He felt Bumrah and Kapil Dev would make a great bowling duo. Cheteshwar Pujara wished he had Gavaskar as an opener. India reached 72 for 2 before rain interrupted play.
Sai Sudharsan showcased solid batting during the fifth Test's opening session. Nasser Hussain praised his technique after an impressive drive. India reached 72/2 at lunch, with Sudharsan unbeaten. England's bowling lacked consistency, failing to capitalize on early wickets. Atkinson impressed with pace, but overall, England sought more breakthroughs. Rain interrupted play, leaving the session balanced.
Sunil Gavaskar criticized the green pitch at The Oval, suggesting it was designed to compensate for England's weakened bowling attack due to the absence of key players like Stokes and Archer. England made four changes, while India also made four, including bringing back Akash Deep and Karun Nair.
