Nandhakumar Sekar produced a spectacular finish to help Emami East Bengal end its losing streak against its arch-rival Mohun Bagan SG, at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
The Chennai-born winger's contribution saw East Bengal down the Indian Super League (ISL) champion MBSG by a solitary goal in the group-A match of the Durand Cup, keeping its chances alive to qualify for the quarterfinals of the tournament.
The 60th minute goal also put Mohun Bagan SG smooth entry into the quarter-finals on hold as East Bengal can pip them to a last eight spot if they happen to win against Punjab FC in their last group league encounter on Wednesday.
Mohun Bagan, who completed their group A outings with six points from three matches while East Bengal have four points from two games.
Six group toppers and two best runners-up make up the last-eight.
MBSG coach, Juan Ferrando said "Our main target is still winning the Calcutta League and reaching the quarter finals of the Durand Cup".
Under Bengaluru FC's Indian Super League winning coach Carles Cuadrat, East Bengal looked much more compact and the forward lineup got back their usual flair with Nandhakumar's international class strike. The former Odisha FC midfielder capitalised on an assist from Saul Crespo from the right flank as he smartly outfoxed Mohun Bagan's India international Aniruddh Thapa with an outside dodge.
Showing perfect composure, the 27-year-old then used his instep to curl one past outstretched hands of Mohun Bagan SG goalie Vishal Kaith into the far corner of the net.
The win for East Bengal ended defending ISL champions Mohun Bagan's dominance that stretched for more than four years and six months.
ENG vs IND, 4th test: Three Indian players ruled out, what could be possible Indian lineup?
Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy have been ruled out of the ENG vs IND, 4th test in Manchester. Here is the possible lineup of the Indian cricket team in the fourth test.
Indian cricket team management suffered major setbacks ahead of the ENG vs IND, 4th test in Manchester, starting from Wednesday. Two Indian pacers, Akash Deep and Ashdeep Singh, have been ruled out of the 4th test along with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
With three players already ruled out due to injuries, Shubman Gill and company will have to find solutions within the squad to name a strong playing XI at Old Trafford.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who was hit on his bowling hand, needed stitches. As per the reports of the Indian Express on Sunday, the Medium Pacer will need at least 10 days to recover. This has already ruled him out of the fourth test, and he is unlikely to return for the final test starting on 31st July.
Arshdeep Singh suffered a finger injury while bowling at the nets. Image | BCCI on X
As per the same report by The Indian Express, another pacer, Akash Deep, who was India's hero in their first-ever Test win in Birmingham, has issues with his groin and back. The Indian team management does not want to take risks with his injuries, and thus, he will be monitored as a precaution.
On the other hand, Hindustan Times reported that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy suffered an injury during the gym session on Sunday. So he is also ruled out of the fourth test at Old Trafford Stadium.
In the situation where India are trailing by 1-2 in the Test series and needs to win the 4th test, to be in contention to win the series, Gautam Gambhir and company will have to dig deep to find solutions.
Here are the solutions India can go for during the 4th test.
#1 Bumrah, Siraj, Shardul, and who?
Shardul Thakur during a parctice session. Image - BCCI on X
With both Akashdeep and Arshdeep Singh being ruled out, there is certainty that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj will be India's leading pacers in the fourth test. Although our questions on the workload management of both those pacers, they will have to be at their best if India wants to bring balance to the series.
Now, with Nitish Kumar Reddy's injury, India will have to go back to Shardul Thakur, who played in the first test in Leeds. The Mumbai all-rounder only scored 4 runs and took two wickets in that match.
But if India wants to go for another pacer, they will have the option of Prasidh Krishna and newcomer Anshul Kamboj. Krishna, who did not do very well in the first two test matches, might not be brought back. In that case, Kamboj, who has done well in the first-class games he has played so far, is likely to get his test cap.
Kuldeep last played a test match in 2024. Image | BCCI on X
Now, this has been an inclusion that Indian fans have been waiting for from the first test. Kuldeep, who last featured in test matches for India in 2024 against New Zealand at home, can bring the ex-factor in the bowling lineup. But this will leave the batting lineup a bit thin.
Since Gautam Gambhir has always looked to go for that added batting cushion, it will be hard for Kuldeep to find his place. Even if he plays, will India look to sacrifice Washington Sundar? This would be a very hard question to answer.
#3 Jurel to keep, Pant to play as a specialist batter
Jurel kept wickets for India during the Lord's test. Image | BCCI on X
Along with these three injuries, we had already reported that Rishabh Pant has not recovered fully from the finger injury he suffered during the Lord's Test. In that case, Dhruv Jurel, who kept wicket at Lord's, is likely to play as a wicket keeper while Rishabh Pant could play as only a specialist batter.
If Jurel comes in, India can leave Shardul out and bring Kuldeep Yadav into the playing XI. However, it will only depend on the pitch condition.
ENG vs IND, 4th test: India's possible lineup
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Few legacies in sports are as enduring and inspiring as those of father-son duos who have left an unforgettable mark on the game. Cricket is filled with iconic father-son duos who have captured the hearts of fans worldwide. While some sons struggled to meet the towering expectations set by their fathers, others rose above the legacy, stepping out of their father’s shadow to make their own mark.
In this article, we will take a look at the cricket facts of father-Son duos who played for India.
Cricket facts | Father-Son duos who played for India
Hemant (Father) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (Son)
A former Indian cricketer, Hemant Kanitkar was a versatile batsman who played for Maharashtra and two international games for India in 1974.
Later on, his son Hrishikesh Kantikar went on to make his India debut as an all-rounder, playing two Tests and 34 ODIs.
Vijay Manjrekar (Father) and Sanjay Manjrekar (Son)
Vijay Manjrekar represented the Indian team from 1950 onwards. His 222-run partnership with Vijay Hazare against England etched his name in history. He played 53 Tests for India.
Sanjay Manjrekar also joined the Indian cricket team in 1987 and played 111 matches. But his career did not last long. Sanjay played 37 Tests and 74 ODIs for the country before he was bogged down by the weight of expectations thrust on him.
Roger Binny (Father) and Stuart Binny (Son)
Stuart Binny and Roger Binny have also played international cricket for India. Roger is currently the BCCI chief and he played a total of 99 matches in international cricket for India, in which he took 124 wickets. Apart from this, he also scored 1459 runs.
On the other hand, Stuart's career was not very long. He played a total of 23 matches in international cricket for India.
Lala Amarnath (Father) and Mohinder Amarnath Surinder Amarnath (Son)
Lala Amarnath played 24 Test matches between 1933 and 1952, he also played 186 first class matches. His two sons Mohinder Amarnath and Surinder Amarnath also became cricketers.
Mohinder played 69 Tests and 85 ODIs. Surinder played 10 Tests and 3 ODIs. Mohinder Amarnath was the hero of the 1983 World Cup victory and was considered one of the best pace bowling batsmen of his time. Surinder Amarnath had made a record of scoring a century in his first Test.
Sunil Gavaskar (Father) and Rohan Gavaskar (Son)
Both Sunil Gavaskar and his son Rohan Gavaskar have played international cricket for India. Gavaskar is considered India's greatest batsman. He is the first player to reach the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket. He played a total of 233 international matches for India.
On the other hand, his son Rohan could play only 11 ODI matches for India.
Both Yuvraj Singh and his father Yograj Singh have played international cricket for India. Yograj Singh's career was not very long. He played only 1 Test and 6 ODI matches for India. In both formats, he scored a total of only 11 runs.
On the other hand, Yograj Singh's son Yuvraj Singh has been a famous all-rounder. He played a total of 402 matches in international cricket for India, in which he scored 11778 runs. During this, he also took 148 wickets.
Yuvi performed brilliantly in the ODI World Cup 2011 and scored 362 runs. Apart from this, he also took 15 wickets. Due to this, he received the Player of the Tournament award.
Despite a great fight on the last day at Lord's, India suffered a heartbreak defeat by 22 runs in the third Test against England. Along with this, the discussion has intensified about the batting order of the team, especially the batting at number 3.
After the defeat at Lord's, the Indian men’s cricket team would like to come up with a big show in the fourth Test to level the series. The fourth red-ball match of the ongoing ENG vs IND five-match series will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 23 to 27. For the match at Old Trafford, Indian team management could make multiple changes to the playing XI.
Karun Nair looked solid whenever he was on the pitch in the 6 innings so far. But he could never take his innings beyond 50. Nair scored 0, 20, 31, 26, 40 and 14 runs in the 6 innings so far. During this time, he got out unlucky many times. But it is possible that the team management may now plan to try talented and young cricketer Sai Sudharsan in his place.
23-year-old Sai Sudharsan from Chennai got a chance to debut in the ENG vs IND Leeds Test. But the first opportunity slipped from his hands like sand from his fist. He played innings of 0 and 30 runs in Leeds. The team lost the Test and he was also dropped from the playing XI.
Kuldeep can make a return
Discussions have once again intensified about the inclusion of 30-year-old left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has taken 56 wickets in 13 Tests, in the playing XI. This tour could prove to be a good opportunity to include Kuldeep in the team.
Bumrah and Rishabh Pant out
Before the start of the series, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Shubman Gill, and even Bumrah himself confirmed that he will play only three matches in England, and since the pacer has already featured in two matches out of three played so far, there is a high possibility that he will miss the game in Manchester to return for the final fixture at The Oval in London from July 31 to August 4.
In addition to Bumrah, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant could also miss the match in Manchester. Pant suffered a finger injury during the first day’s play of the Lord’s Test, and as a result, he didn’t keep after 34 overs in the first innings. There is still no clarity over Pant’s injury. If he misses out, then Dhruv Jurel will replace him in the playing XI.
The 24-year-old stumper from Agra impressed with his glovework during the third Test, and he has amassed a total of 202 runs in six innings of four Tests played so far. Jurel’s best score in Test cricket is 90, which he registered against the English team in Ranchi last year.
Akash Deep likely retain Bumrah's place
Akash Deep could only manage to take one wicket in the third Test, but if Bumrah misses out due to workload management, then he is likely to retain his place.
Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav are the other four bowlers in India’s Test squad for the England series, and for the game at Old Trafford, Arshdeep could come in for Bumrah. Arshdeep is a left-arm pacer, and his inclusion will bring variety to India’s bowling attack.
West Indies vs Australia: West Indies register second lowest test score in an inning by a team
After getting all out for 27 in the fourth inning of the third West Indies vs Australia test in Kingston, West Indies have now registered the second lowest test score in an inning by a team.
Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of Brandon King, his third of the first over. Image | AFP/Getty Images
West Indies just registered their lowest test score in their history after registering only 27 in the fourth innings of the third West Indies vs Australia test in Kingston. While chasing only 204 in the last inning of the test match, West Indies were bundled out for 27 after Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland ran through them.
For the West Indies, only Justin Greaves could reach the double-figure (11) mark. 7 of 11 batters of the West Indies team were dismissed for ducks.
Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of Brandon King, his third of the first over. Image | AFP/Getty Images
Australia started the inning on a fiery note, with Mitchell Starc taking three wickets in the first over. He then went on to break the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in a test inning as he reached the landmark in just 15 balls. West Indies once were 6 for 11, but a small partnership from Alzarri Joseph and Justin Greaves helped them reach 26.
Scott Boland became the 45th bowler to take a test hat-trick. Image | AFP/Getty Images
But from 26/6, Scott Boland took a hat-trick to reduce them to 26/9. Mitchell Starc then wrapped up the inning with his sixth wicket as he finished with a bowling figure of 7.3-4-9-6.
What is the lowest test score in history?
New Zealand in 1955 registered the lowest test score in history when they were bundled for only 26 in the third inning against Australia in Auckland. Bert Sutcliffe could only reach the double-figure mark (11) for the Kiwis.
Frank Tyson started the attack for Australia, taking the first two wickets. But it was Brian Statham and Bob Appleyard who finished the job for the team from down under. Statham returned with 9-3-9-3 while Appleyard had the bowling figure of 6-3-7-4.
Although New Zealand had played 27 overs to score those 26 runs. They lost the test match by an innings and 20 runs.
10 lowest test scores in test cricket
Mitchell Starc celebrating after getting Jayden Seals out as West Indies were bowled out for 27. Image | AFP/Getty Images
Along with New Zealand in 1995 and the West Indies in 2025, South Africa features in the top five of the lowest test scores in test cricket.
In 1896, South Africa were bundled for 30 against England in Gqeberha, which was the lowest test score for nearly 59 years.
South Africa again matched their record when England bowled them out for 30 again, this time in Birmingham in 1924. In 1899 and 1932, South Africa registered 35 and 36, respectively, against England and Australia.
Then comes India's 36 all-out against Australia in 2020 in Adelaide. India comes on the list again with their 42 against England in 1974 at Lord's.
However, before all of these, Australia had the record for the lowest test score, before New Zealand broke the record. In 1888, Australia were bundled out for 42 against England at their own turf in Sydney.
Discover the players with most sixes for India in tests. Explore how Rishabh Pant surpassed Dhoni's record and recently equaled Rohit Sharma. Can he claim the top spot? Find out.
Indian batters have showcased an impressive six-hitting record in the history of test cricket, etching their names among the big hitters around the world. It represents not just power, but a fearless approach in the longest format.
Some of India's most celebrated cricketers have taken this record for most sixes in tests to another level, having smashed an unparalleled number of sixes. Focusing on the current standings, Rishabh Pant is the one name growing rapidly to the top, surpassing Dhoni's record.
Find out who hit the most sixes for India in tests, and how close Pant is to claiming the top spot.
Virender Sehwag hitting a six for India in a test match. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The former Indian cricketer, Virender Sehwag, has hit the most sixes for India in tests. His six-hitting approach was defined by a dominant mindset, where he would take on a bowler in the very first over if he wanted.
Sehwag smashed 90 sixes for India in test format, spanning from 2001 to 2013. This came across 103 test matches (178 innings) and has been unmatched over a decade.
2. Rishabh Pant | 88 sixes
Rishabh Pant hitting his iconic one-handed sixes for India in a test match. Image | NDTV
Rishabh Pant has rapidly climbed up in the elite list of six-hitters, recently levelling up Rohit Sharma's numbers with 88 sixes in tests. He also became the player with most sixes (36 sixes) against England in tests, surpassing Viv Richards' record.
Pant's immense power and confidence in the format is really exciting to watch. He is only 3 big hitsaway from surpassing Sehwag and becoming the player with most sixes for India in tests.
He reached to this spot in just 46 matches (80 innings), which shows how he is capable of taking this record to the highest level with his one-handed flicks, aggressive sweeps, and powerful pulls.
Rohit Sharma smashing a six for India in test. Image | X
Rohit Sharma put an end to his test career with an astounding 88 sixes for India in 67 matches (116 innings). From his test debut as a middle-order batsman to transitioning into one of the best test openers for India, he kept his big-hitting prowess alive throughout.
Sharma's ability to read lengths early and deliver the ball effortlessly to the stands was phenomenal. Given that he holds the record for the most international sixes across all formats, his position within his nation's top 5 in Test cricket is certainly not a surprise.
MS Dhoni hitting a flat six ina a test match for India. Image | TOI
MS Dhoni holds the 4th spot for most sixes for India in tests, having 78 sixes across 90 matches (144 innings). Renowned for his "helicopter shot," which delivered the ball soaring over long-on or mid-wicket, his strength lay in his powerful forearms and lower body.
Dhoni often converted decent deliveries into maximums, in order to shift the pressure at crucial times for India.
5. Ravindra Jadeja | 73 sixes
Ravindra Jadeja going big against England in a test match. Image | Facebook
Being the only all-rounder in the list of most sixes for India in tests, Ravindra Jadeja, with 73 sixes to his name, needs to be given the appreciation he truly deserves. He achieved those numbers in only 83 matches (123 innings).
Jadeja is the second player, after Pant, to have an ongoing test career among the Top 5, which indicates his potential to surpass Dhoni's record. Considering his current pace, the day he breaks records and climbs higher on the list doesn't seem far off.
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