The fifth and final Test match between India and England will be played from July 31st at The Oval in London. Ahead of this crucial match, the England cricket team has announced its Playing XI, which includes some significant changes.
Sports News: The thrilling five-match Test series between India and England has now reached its final stage. The fifth and final match of the series will be played from July 31, 2025, at The Oval in London. Before the Test match, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has announced its final Playing XI. The biggest name missing from this list is England captain Ben Stokes, who has been ruled out of this decisive match due to a shoulder injury.
In his absence, Ollie Pope has been given the responsibility of captaincy. Along with this, four major changes have been made to England's final eleven, especially in the bowling department, where several new faces will be seen.
Ben Stokes' Absence a Big Blow
Ben Stokes has proven to be the most valuable player for England in the current Test series. He has scored 304 runs in the four Test matches played so far, including a century. In addition, he has taken 17 wickets in bowling — the most by any bowler in the series. Considering his performance in the third and fourth Tests, he was also declared "Player of the Match" both times. In such a situation, his absence from the final match is being considered a major blow for the England team.
Ollie Pope to Captain, Will Lead the Team for the First Time
In the absence of Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope has been entrusted with the captaincy of England. This will be his first Test match as captain. Ollie Pope bats in the middle order and is known for his calm demeanor and technical skills. England will expect him not only to provide balance in captaincy but also to contribute with the bat.
England has made four major changes for this Test, dropping some key bowlers and including new faces. Only Chris Woakes has been retained from the Manchester Test team.
Changes in Playing XI
- Players Out
- Jofra Archer
- Brydon Carse
- Liam Livingstone
- Ollie Robinson
- Returning/Newly Included Players
- Gus Atkinson
- Josh Tongue
- Jacob Bethell
- Jamie Overton
England Playing XI
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue.
The ongoing series between India and England is currently level at 2-2. In such a situation, the Oval Test will prove to be a decisive match, which will decide the winner of the series. Both the teams are in form, but this change in England's captaincy may prove to be a psychological advantage for India. From the Indian team, there is no major change expected in the Playing XI under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, but the final announcement will be made on the day of the match.
For Ollie Pope, this match will be the biggest test of his career as captain. On one hand, he has to take the team towards victory, and on the other hand, he also has to handle the absence of an experienced all-rounder like Stokes. Planning and field placement will be very important for him.
