England vs India 2025: Flop XI of the Test series

An enthralling five-match Test series between England and India has come to an end. Shubman Gill and his team staged a brilliant comeback in the fifth Test at The Oval to level the series 2-2.

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However, while many players from both teams stepped up during the series, some failed to deliver. A few big names were expected to perform better, but couldn’t meet expectations. Based on those performances, here’s a look at the Flop XI of the series.

Zak Crawley takes the first spot. The England opener featured in all five Tests and played nine innings. He scored 290 runs at an average of 32.22. Several cricket pundits and former England players criticised him for his lack of consistency.

Ollie Pope could be his partner. Pope also captained England in the final Test at The Oval in Ben Stokes’ absence. With the bat, he scored 306 runs in nine innings at an average of 34.00, including a hundred and a fifty. But his form dipped between knocks, and inconsistency remained an issue.

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At No. 3, Sai Sudharsan makes the list. The young Indian batter debuted in Leeds and played the Manchester and Oval Tests. He managed just 140 runs in six innings at an average of 23.33, with one fifty. Expectations were higher.

Karun Nair comes in at No. 4. Making a Test comeback after eight years, he was under the spotlight. He had been in great form in domestic cricket but couldn't replicate it here. Nair scored 205 runs in eight innings at 25.62, with one important fifty at The Oval.

Dhruv Jurel takes the gloves. He was decent behind the stumps but had limited impact with the bat. He scored 53 runs in two innings and looked a bit unsettled.

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Nitish Kumar Reddy had a short series due to a knee injury. Before that, he scored only 45 runs in four innings and took three wickets in three innings. Shardul Thakur also disappointed. He scored 46 runs in three innings and took just two wickets while averaging 72.00 with the ball.

Jamie Overton played only the final Test at The Oval. He looked rusty and took two wickets while conceding 164 runs, averaging 82.00. Anshul Kamboj had a forgettable debut. He bowled 18 overs and picked up just one wicket for 89 runs in Manchester.

Chris Woakes, despite his brave effort to bat on the final day with an injured shoulder, was underwhelming. He picked up 11 wickets in nine innings at an average of 52.18 and scored only 64 runs in seven innings.

Shoaib Bashir takes the lone spinner’s spot. Though he took 10 wickets in six innings, his bowling average of 54.10 reflects a lack of impact.

Flop XI: Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope (c), Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Jamie Overton, Chris Woakes, Shoaib Bashir, Anshul Kamboj.

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