BCCI announced the Indian men's cricket team for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour right after the T20 World Cup 2024. The men's cricket team will be traveling to Zimbabwe for a T20I series starting from 6 July to 14 July.

Read Also: Team India's schedule before Champions Trophy 2025

Most of the senior cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and others have been rested for the series while a few youngsters have been given a chance to showcase their talent.

Shubman Gill will be leading the men in blue while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the other top-order batters for the team. 

After a stunning performance in the IPL 2024 for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek Sharma has been called up for his maiden series. Nitish Kumar Reddy, the emerging player of the IPL 2024 also has been named in the squad for the series.

Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan, who were part of the reserves in the T20 World Cup 2024, are also named in the squad. 

Team India men's squad for T20I series bs Zimbabwe

Ꮪhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande. 

A single social media activity has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world ahead of IPL 2026 auction. A recent 'hint' from Sanju Samson's manager has intensified the possibility of his transfer to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in the next season.

Fans are wondering whether this would come true and change the landscape for both the teams in the future, or is it just another false call.

There's been a mixed bag of positive and upsetting reactions in the past 24 hours, but the real question still stands: Will Sanju Samson join CSK for IPL 2026? Check out how Manager's hint fuels mega transfer rumours.

"Time to Move": Samson's recent viral Instagram post

On June 7, Sanju Samson posted a photo on Instagram that begin the rumors. The image featured him alongside his wife, crossing a prominent yellow line on the road. He captioned the post: "Time to MOVE..!!"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sanju V Samson (@imsanjusamson)

This visual cue, combined with the caption and the fact that a Tamil song ('Mun Andhi' from 7 Aum Arivu) was also part of the post, immediately sparked discussion. The comments section was quickly flooded with fans linking the "yellow" color and the "move" message to the Chennai Super Kings.

Comments like "He is definitely moving to CSK" and "Welcome to CSK 💛" can be seen all over the post.

Read Also: "Whatever the future brings," Yashasvi Jasiwal's cryptic post after the Royals' end of IPL 2025

Manager's IPL 2026 hint that sparked Sanju Samson transfer rumours

The intense speculation regarding Sanju Samson moving to CSK for IPL 2026 intensified due to a subtle yet impactful social media action by his manager, Prashob Suvedan. He liked a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), which explicitly stated that Samson might be released from Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.

This gets more interesting as the post also claimed CSK having already approached Samson regarding the move.

Therefore, the timing and nature of his manager's digital interaction ignited widespread speculation and put a layer of possibility about this matter.

Read Also: Value of the IPL Franchises since 2008 to the present

How the cricket fans reacted:

Fans have flooded with opinions and future calculations after the incident. Here's a glimpse of that:

Can’t blame them 😉 https://t.co/XviV2CVSM8 pic.twitter.com/RHsZDNJUZ7

— Sanju Samson Fans Page (@SanjuSamsonFP) June 16, 2025

🚨 Sanju Samson wants to join CSK, CSK wants Sanju Samson. Talks are on but it is not at all this simple.

RR doesn't want to trade Samson with any CSK's player, if Samson wants to join CSK then he will have to do it through auction. But then in Auction there is KKR who gonna… pic.twitter.com/Dy6mpX1Ke2

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) June 17, 2025

Sanju Samson's manager Prashobh Sudevan has liked a post which says that Sanju Samson will be released by Rajasthan Royals.

This means that Sanju is definitely joining CSK.💛#csk #WhistlePodu #IPL #SanjuSamson #MSDhoni𓃵 pic.twitter.com/VNtAiOzlrs

— kuldeep singh (@kuldeep0745) June 16, 2025

In the history of Indian Test Cricket, reaching the 2000-run milestone has always been a matter of pride. While many have achieved this feat, only a few have done so with remarkable speed.

Currently, the record for the fastest Indians to score 2000 test runs is jointly held by Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, both accomplishing it in 40 innings. However, a new name is on the verge of making history: Yashasvi Jaiswal, with 1798 runs from 36 innings, needs only 202 more runs.

If Jaiswal reaches this in 3 or fewer innings, potentially in the upcoming test series against England (starts on June 20, 2025), he will break the legendary record and reach on top!

Now, let's look at the elite list of players who previously set the standard by being the fastest Indians to reach 2000 test runs.

1. Rahul Dravid (40 innings)

Rahul Dravid, famously known as "The Wall" for his brilliant defensive technique and concentration in tests, reached 2000 test runs in just 40 innings. His ability to bat for longer periods and wearing down the opposition was a key aspect for India's Test success.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

2. Virender Sehwag (40 innings)

Virender Sehwag, the aggressive opening batsman, matched Dravid's record by also reaching 2000 test runs in 40 innings. He was known for his fearless approach while batting at the top of the order.

He is also the only Indian to score 2 triple centuries in his test career.

3. Vijay Hazare (43 innings)

An icon of Indian cricket's early era, Vijay Hazare reached 2000 test runs in 43 innings. He was an incredible run-scorer in his time, known for his elegant batting and contributions.

His contributions mattered highly during a period when Indian cricket was finding its status on the international stage.

4. Gautam Gambhir (43 innings)

The bold left-handed opener, Gautam Gambhir, also reached 2000 test runs in 43 innings. He was a crucial part of India's top order in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Gambhir was known for his mental toughness and ability to play long innings when required, with high determination and focus.

Read Also: India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?

5. Sunil Gavaskar (44 innings)

Sunil Gavaskar, one of the greatest opener in Tests cricket history, scored 2000 test runs in 44 innings. He was known for batting fearlessly and facing West Indian fast bowlers without modern protective gear.

Gavaskar was the first player to reach 10000-run mark in test cricket history, and also holds the 3rd place for most runs for India in tests.

The Indian team has reached England, where an unofficial Test match is currently being played between India-A and the senior team. After this, England vs India Test series begin will start from June 20. Youngstar Shubman Gill will be seen captaining the Indian Test team for the first time. India has not won a Test series on England soil since 2007. In such a situation, under his captaincy, Team India will be eyeing to win the series.

Also Read: 6 cricketers who announced their retirements since last month

India's record in Tests in England has not been good and they have won only 9 Test matches. Here is India's overall test record against England in England.

India has a poor record in Tests on English soil

Team India has played a total of 69 Test matches on English soil so far, out of which the team has won 9 and lost 38. Apart from this, 22 matches have been drawn. Looking at the records, it can be said that India has always had to struggle to win Test matches in England.

England vs India Test Series: India's record in England

India has only won three-Test series against England away from home. The Men in Blue have an unwanted record against England in England. They won their first-ever test match, and subsequently, the series, in 1971 - at the seventh time of asking. Their first win also came after suffering 15 Test defeats in England. 

Last won series under Dravid's captaincy

India won the Test series on England soil in 2007 under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid. Since then, in 2011, 2014 and 2018, the Indian team had to face defeat in the Test series on the tour of England. Whereas the series played in the year 2021-22 was drawn 2-2.

In the year 2007, a three-Test match series was held between India and England, in which the first and last matches of the series were drawn. In the second Test match, India won by 7 wickets and in this match, Zaheer Khan proved to be the biggest hero for the team. He took a total of 9 wickets. It was because of him that India was successful in winning the Test series 1-0.

Also Read: Most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Tests

India Vs England Test Series: Full Schedule

Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has suddenly returned to India, citing a family emergency as the reason. A BCCI source has given this information to news agency PTI.

The source said that Gambhir had to return to take care of his mother, who has been admitted to a hospital in New Delhi due to health complications. The Shubman Gill-led Indian Test team is in England to play a five-match IND vs ENG series, starting June 20 in Leeds.

Also Read: Exclusive: Advised by Sourav Ganguly, Abishek Porel gets coached by Yuvraj Singh; this is what he learned

Doeschate will look after the team for now

In Gambhir's absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate will oversee the team during the four-day intra-squad match between India and India A starting from Friday. He will be assisted by other coaching staff like bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Shitanshu Kotak. If all goes well at home, Gambhir is expected to return to England within a week.

Indian team would like to test its preparations

The Indian team will play intra-squad matches to finalise its preparations ahead of the IND vs ENG five-match Test series. India A played two unofficial Test matches against England Lions and the batsmen showed their prowess in them. Such matches are important for the preparation of the team before any series. India has opted to play this match in an empty stadium so that the opposing team does not get a clue of their strategy.

All eyes will be on Kuldeep-Jadeja

In this match, the performance of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja will be watched and an interesting competition is expected between these two to make a place in the final eleven of the Indian Test team.

India's bowling coach Morne Morkel had said on Wednesday that the match is crucial for India's preparation as it is difficult to develop the ability to bowl and field 90 overs in a day through normal practice sessions. This match will give the Indian team management a good opportunity to assess its players, especially the bowlers, in match situations.

Also Read: Ellyse Perry predicts the winner of WTC 2025

This will help ensure that the bowlers, be it spinners or pacers, are in the required rhythm in the actual match. Gambhir will have to do some brainstorming to pick the only specialist spinner for Headingley.

Jadeja has a good batting record abroad but if India has to take 20 wickets then Kuldeep's role will become important. Kuldeep can prove to be a good partner of fast bowler Jaspreet Bumrah in the conditions here. Jadeja vs Kuldeep is the biggest puzzle for the playing XI that the team management will have to solve.

Eyes will be on fast bowlers as well

Similarly, this match will give the team management and captain Shubman Gill a chance to see which ball works better in these conditions - Akash Deep's full length or Prasidh Krishna's back of the length. Bumrah, who will be playing a red ball match after six months, will get a chance to bowl multiple spells and test his fitness. He has played only IPL since returning from a lower back injury.

In October 2017, the ICC announced a Test League which would involve the top nine teams playing series over two years with the top two teams qualifying for a World Test Championship Final. The first ICC World Test Championship started with the 2019 Ashes series and finished with New Zealand lifting the trophy after defeating India in the final in June 2021. Let's take a look at the players with the most runs in WTC 2023-25 cycle.

As the WTC 2023-25 is approaching its end, it is now time to look at those huge numbers by some sensational test batters.

Also Read: Most Test centuries in the World Test Championship

Most Runs in WTC 2023-25

1. Joe Root | 1968 Runs

England's experienced batsman Joe Root leads the most runs in WTC 2023-25 list. Across a distinguished Test career that began in December 2012, Joe Root has scaled numerous batting peaks. However, it was during the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle that the English maestro arguably hit his most prolific stride. 

Scoring 1,968 runs from just 40 innings at an impressive average of 54.66, Root registered seven centuries in the span, elevating his career tally from 29 to 36 and breaking a host of long-standing records along the way.

Root scored 412 runs against Australia, helping England level a fighting 2023 Ashes at home. He also overcame Indian spinners with 320 runs from 10 innings in early 2024, and carried on his juggernaut with a monumental haul of 666 runs in just six Tests against West Indies and Sri Lanka at home with an average of over 70.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal | 1798 Runs

India's young batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal comes second in the most runs in WTC 2023-25 list, having scored 1798 runs in 36 innings of 19 matches at an impressive average of 52.88. Jaiswal has four centuries (two double centuries) and ten half-centuries to his name.

Jaiswal, who made his Test debut at the onset of India’s 2023-25 WTC campaign. The talented left-hander started off his career with an epic 171 against West Indies in Roseau to conclude his maiden series with 266 runs at an average of 88.67. In just his second Test series later that year, Jaiswal’s vulnerability against the short ball was laid bare by South Africa’s fiery pace attack. Nonetheless, the youngster bounced back against England later in the same month, whacking 712 runs from nine innings at an average of 89, smashing two successive double hundreds at one stage, both in winning causes.

Jaiswal’s twin fifties in Kanpur, and another in Chennai against Bangladesh led to India’s comfortable 2-0 series win at home. However, he failed to replicate his home success against New Zealand during India’s 0-3 thrashing in October-November 2024. Jaiswal also aggregated 391 runs in five Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests in Australia, in a series where no other Indian player managed to scale 300.

3. Ben Duckett | 1470 Runs

England’s top-order batter Ben Duckett fetched 1,470 runs for his nation from 41 innings spanning 22 Tests from the 2023-25 WTC. The cricketer maintained an average of 36.75 and held on to a strike rate of 84.33, the highest among all WTC batters with over 200 runs to their names, let alone 1,400+. The attacking left-hander smashed two tons, including a hundred each in India and Pakistan, in addition to his eight half-centuries.

Duckett made 321 runs against Australia in the 2023 Ashes, 343 runs on hostile spin conditions of India in early 2024, and 364 runs in six home Tests in mid-2024 against West Indies and Sri Lanka. The star opening batter also scored 262 against Pakistan bowlers at 52.40, before concluding his campaign with 180 runs in New Zealand.

4. Harry Brook | 1463 Runs

Despite missing the entirety of England’s five-match Test series in India in early 2024, Harry Brook concluded his WTC 2023-25 campaign as one of its highest getters, gathering 1,463 runs from 29 innings at an average of 50.44 and with an impressive strike rate of 83.36. 

The attacking English batter blasted 363 runs against an experienced Australian attack during the 2023 Ashes at a strike rate of nearly 80, and followed up with 377 quick runs against West Indies and Sri Lanka in six home Tests the following season.

Brook also mounted a huge triple ton in England’s high-scoring win in Pakistan to accumulate 373 runs overall in five innings of the series, before flaying New Zealand with two tons and a fifty en route to 350 additional runs in three Tests to cap his WTC cycle.

Also Read: Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats

5. Usman Khawaja | 1422 Runs

Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who was earlier at number one, is now fifth among the leading run-scorers in the WTC 2023-25. Khawaja tallied 1,422 runs from 37 innings spanning 19 Tests of the 2023-25 WTC cycle at an average of 41.82, whacking two centuries and six fifties in the process.

The elegant Australian opener started off by logging 496 runs in the drawn Ashes series of 2023 in England, which included a match-winning 141 in Edgbaston and three additional fifties in the remainder of the series. Khawaja dropped the ball, at least to a certain extent, in the subsequent five home Tests against Pakistan and West Indies, aggregating 359 runs in 10 innings at a below par average of 39.88 with just two fifty-plus scores across both series.

Also Read: Most Runs for India in a Test Series

The seasoned opener also struggled against New Zealand (away) and against India (at home), with Jasprit Bumrah largely tormenting him in the latter of the two series. Yet, just as when the flame seemed to fade, Khawaja made a return in Australia’s dominant 2-0 series victory in Sri Lanka, plundering a majestic 232 in Galle against a formidable spin attack.