Gill gets run out off suicidal single as India reach 85/3 on rain-hit day one
London, Jul 31 (PTI): India lost their captain Shubman Gill due to a suicidal run out as intermittent rain allowed only six overs in the afternoon session on day one of the series deciding fifth Test against England here on Thursday.
When rain returned to The Oval to halt the proceedings, India were 85 for three with Sai Sudharsan (28 batting off 84) and Karun Nair (0 off 8) in the middle.
A sudden downpour shortly before lunch caused the second session to start at 3 pm local time. Gill (21 off 35) played a copybook cover drive off Jamie Overton to get going after the break.
Having done all the hard work, Gill went for a needless single off Gus Atkinson who picked up the ball on the follow through and darted it into the stumps, leaving the Indian captain way out of his crease.
Soon after, the rain returned resulting in the umpire taking the tea break at 4.10 pm local time.
In the morning session, India lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (2 off 9) and K L Rahul (14 off 40) on a green top but did well to reach lunch 72 for two.
On the greenest pitch of the series, the ball expectedly did seam around but it was not swinging profusely.
Playing his first game of the series, Atkinson struck in his second over by having Jaiswal trapped in front. The on-field umpire did not give it out but England reviewed successfully with the incoming ball going on to hit the stumps.
The other pacers Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton struggled for control. Tongue conceded 12 runs in his opening over including 10 via two wides on either side of the stumps.
India reached 36 for one in the first hour of play.
Rahul, who has been India's most solid batter over the course of the series, was the second wicket to fall. The short ball from Chris Woakes did not do much but Rahul went for the cut when it was too close to his body, eventually playing on to his stumps.
Number three Sai Sudharsan and Gill then batted till lunch, which was taken early due to a sudden downpour at The Oval, where the sun played hide and seek.
Sai collected two fours down the ground off Tongue and Woakes respectively.
India's leading run getter Gill punched Overton through the cover before using the short arm pull off the pacer for boundaries on either side of the wicket.
India made four changes to their playing eleven, bringing in a fit-again Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel for Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj, Shardul Thakur and the injured Rishabh Pant.
England too made four changes but they had announced it on Wednesday with injured captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer unavailable for selection.
A moment of madness from Shubman Gill!
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 31, 2025
Gus Atkinson throws down the stumps with the India captain stranded.
🇮🇳 8️⃣3️⃣-3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/cYa1PUbPAI
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Parents fear uncertainty after Karnataka govt rules out age limit relaxation for Class 1 admission
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has ruled out any relaxation of the minimum age limit for admission to Class 1 beginning with the academic year 2026-27. Following the refusal, a group of parents continues to press for leniency.
Parents of children who fall under the age of six by a small margin on the cut-off date have met Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and senior officials from the Department of School Education and Literacy to request an exemption. School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that the government will not change its decision, as reported by Deccan Herald.
According to the minister, children must be six years old by June 1 to be eligible for admission to Class 1. beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. He noted that the previous relaxation was a one-time measure that was clearly confined to the 2025-26 academic year.
“If such requests are entertained every year, it will never end. While granting relaxation last year, it was explicitly stated that it applied only to one academic year. From 2026-27 onwards, the rule will be strictly implemented,” Bangarappa was quoted by DH.
Parents argue that the rigid cut-off is affecting children who are short by a few days. One parent was quoted by DH as saying that his daughter would be 12 days short of completing six years on June 1. Such parents would be forced to repeat a year despite being academically ready. Others pointed out that children promoted from LKG to UKG during the 2025-26 academic year are now facing uncertainty over their transition to Class 1.
Few parents also recalled that earlier, admissions were allowed for children aged between five years and 10 months and six years. Parents saw it as a more practical approach, with children born in November and December being disproportionately affected.
The issue of age criterion goes back to a government order issued in July 2022. The order mandated six years as the minimum age for Class 1 admission. Parents of children already enrolled in pre-primary classes, protested against the order and the state deferred implementation, announcing that the rule would come into force from the 2025-26 academic year.
After renewed pressure, the government granted a one-year relaxation for 2025-26, citing the large number of students affected and in consultation with the State Education Policy Commission. While announcing the exemption, the minister had stated that no further concessions would be allowed.
