England vs India fifth Test, Day 1: Gill loses fifth toss in a row, but eyes series-levelling win

Dubai: It was a familiar story for Shubman Gill — another toss lost. The Indian captain has now lost all five tosses in this series, and India’s losing streak at the coin flip has extended to 15 consecutive international matches.

England's stand-in skipper Ollie Pope won the toss at The Oval and had no hesitation in choosing to bowl first on a green-top pitch, described by Stuart Broad as having “a good 8mm of grass” — ideal for seamers under overcast skies. The start of play was preceded by a light drizzle following overnight rain, further aiding bowling conditions.

“As long as we win the match, I don’t mind losing the toss,” Gill said. “Our bowlers are very much ready — it’s a good wicket, and everyone will chip in.”

India have made four changes for the series decider. Karun Nair, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep come into the XI, while Dhruv Jurel replaces the injured Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.

England have also made four changes. Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Liam Dawson are out of the side, with Jacob Bethell, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue drafted in for the final Test.

“A bit more grass, overhead conditions — it was a bit of a no-brainer to bowl first,” Pope said at the toss. “We’ve lost a few key players, including our captain, but Woakes is tracking well and we’ve brought in some fresh faces. We’re not here to settle for 2-2 — we want to make it 3-1.”

Playing XIs:

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue.

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.

Can a weakened pace attack handle a lively pitch?

Dubai: The battle hasn’t been limited to the field. With injuries, selection debates, and even a confrontation between the Oval curator and India head coach Gautam Gambhir, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has simmered with tension throughout. Now, it all comes down to five days at The Oval — a finale that promises as much edge as excellence.

After four fiercely contested Tests, the series remains finely poised. Shubman Gill’s young Indian side has repeatedly seized key sessions to disrupt England’s Bazball blueprint. Yet, it’s England — buoyed by the grit of Ben Stokes — who hold a 2-1 lead. But that advantage now hangs by a thread, with their inspirational captain ruled out of the fifth Test due to a shoulder injury aggravated during the drawn match in Manchester.

Stokes’ absence is a major blow, disrupting England’s balance and leadership on the field. The selectors have doubled down on their injury-management policy, resting pacers Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, while Liam Dawson has been dropped. That leaves the England bowling unit under pressure against a high-flying Indian batting order, led by the prolific Gill.

Gill closes in on landmark

The Indian captain is in sublime touch, needing just 32 more runs to complete 6,000 international runs across formats. So far, he has amassed 5,968 runs in 112 matches at an average of 46.62 and a strike rate of 79.92, including 18 centuries and 25 fifties. His best of 269 underlines the range and dominance he now brings to the crease.

In this series alone, Gill has tallied 722 runs from eight innings at a staggering average of 90.25 — the highest by any batter. His 103 at Old Trafford was his fourth century of the series, a feat that puts him alongside Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar as the only captains to achieve such a mark in a single Test series. Remarkably, Gill is the first to do so in his debut series as captain — and away from home.

The previous record for most centuries by a captain in their first Test series stood at three, shared by greats like Warwick Armstrong, Bradman, Greg Chappell, Virat Kohli, and Steven Smith. His Manchester century was also the first by an Indian at Old Trafford in 35 years, since a teenage Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic 119 in 1990.

Yet, for all of Gill’s heroics, India’s bowling strategy remains under the scanner. Critics have questioned the team’s heavy reliance on all-rounders, especially in a series where taking 20 wickets is essential. With Jasprit Bumrah already rested and Mohammed Siraj under workload management, the team may need to rethink its balance. Kuldeep Yadav could offer a spinning threat, but conditions may dictate a different call should England retain too much grass on the pitch.

The tension has spilled beyond tactics and into the turf itself — literally. A recent face-off between Gambhir and the Oval curator reportedly over pitch preparation has only added to the intrigue. It sets the tone for what could be an emotionally charged finish to a series that has seen skill, controversy, and character in equal measure.