One name that was consistently demanded by fans and experts alike for inclusion in the playing XI was India's premier wrist-spinner at the moment, Kuldeep Yadav
The first session came to an abrupt halt after sudden wavy rain arrived at The Oval ten minutes before the scheduled lunch interval
Gill also needs just one more century to break Gavaskar's record for most centuries by an Indian player in a Test series
Following a high-voltage uproar over pitch access, two days before the start of the Test match, no one has dared tread too close to the centre square for a proper assessment.
ENG vs IND 5th Test Playing 11: The Oval pitch has 8 mm grass and India is batting first. India make four changes in their XI - Prasidh, Dhruv Jurel and Karun Nair replace Bumrah, Pant & Shardul
India's toss-losing streak began in January against England in the third T20I of the five-match series
Fans in India can live stream Day 1 of the fifth Test between India and England on JioHotstar via the app and website
India vs England Playing 11 prediction: Arshdeep Singh has been asked to be ready, but we will finalise the playing XI after assessing the pitch later this evening, says India captain Shubman Gill
With India aiming to level the five-match Test series, persistent rain and damp conditions could also influence team selection, although England have already announced their playing XI.
If Arshdeep Singh is selected for the fifth Test, it will mark his red-ball debut for India. However, he is no stranger to red-ball cricket in England, having previously played county cricket for Kent
Ollie Pope will be seen leading the English side in the absence of Ben Stokes at the Oval for the all-important fifth Test of 2025 Anderson Tendulkar Trophy
Captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out due to a right shoulder injury. Spinner Liam Dawson and pace bowlers Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse will also miss the match
There's concern around England's pace battery heading into the fifth Test. Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes have shouldered heavy workloads through all four Tests
India captain Shubman Gill said it would be a big deal for the team if pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah manages to play series-deciding fifth Test despite the team's original plan to restrict him to three matches. Bumrah, who suffered a stress reaction earlier in the year, was initially scheduled to feature in only three Tests on the long England tour to manage his workload and prevent further injuries. He missed the second Test at Edgbaston but played in the other three. With England leading the series 2-1 after a draw in Manchester, India must win at The Oval to level the five-match contest. "If he feels like he's fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us," Gill told BBC's 'Test Match Special'. "If he's not playing, I still think we have the right kind of bowling attack," Gill added. Bumrah bowled 33 overs in the fourth Test at Old Trafford and has approximately four and a half days to recover for the final match, which begins on July 31. He has bowled
With Rishabh Pant ruled out, N. Jagadeesan has been named as his replacement for the final Test of the series.
Gautam Gambhir said that no decision has been taken regarding Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the 5th Test yet and will be taken in the next days.
England's spirit of cricket under question in Manchester Test vs India; check out whole episode of Stokes vs Jadeja controversy during IND vs ENG Test
4th Test | ENG vs IND HIGHLIGHTS: India and England shake hands for a draw, but only after both Jaddu and Washy reach their hundreds on the day.
Both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar waited to complete their hundreds before shaking hands with England skipper Ben Stokes to settle for a draw in Manchester.
Jadeja and Sundar reached their fifties as well just before tea with Jadeja unleashing the sword in Manchester as well.