Hosts New Zealand suffered a record margin Test defeat against England at Wellington, which ended England’s 16-year-long wait for a Test series win in New Zealand. This crucial Test series defeat also hurt New Zealand’s qualification hope for the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship final. 

Joe Root scored 36th Test century

Day three of the Wellington Test started with England’s second innings total of 378/5. Former English Test captain Joe Root climbed to the joint fifth position of most Test centuries with the legendary Indian batter Rahul Dravid by hitting his 36th Test century. 

Root and captain Ben Stokes had a 100-run partnership for the sixth wicket. After Root was gone for 106 runs in 130 balls (11 fours), Stokes declared the innings at 49 not out when England scored 427/6.

See Also: Australia bounce back in the series with 10-wicket win

England set 583-run target 

Hosts New Zealand had to chase the mammoth 583-run target in the fourth innings to win the Test and level the series. The Blackcaps lost their first four wickets for only 59 runs, as the opener Devon Conway (0), Kane Williamson (4), and Rachin Ravindra (6) were dismissed for single digits, while the other opener and skipper Tom Latham was out for 24 runs. 

Tom Blundell scored century

While Daryl Mitchell (32) and Nathan Smith (42) provided some fights, wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell hit his fifth Test century. New Zealand were all out for 259 runs, where Blundell scored 115 off 102 balls with 13 fours and five sixes. 

English captain Ben Stokes bagged three wickets in 2.2 overs after conceding only five runs. Chris Woakes (2/20), Brydon Carse (2/53), and Shoaib Bashir (2/110) got two wickets each. Gus Atkinson, who took four wickets during New Zealand’s first innings (4/31), including a hat-trick, picked up one wicket in the fourth innings (1/68).  

New Zealand suffered their largest home Test defeat

England won the Test by 323 runs. It was New Zealand’s largest home Test defeat by runs. Their previous record was losing by 299 runs against Pakistan in the 2001 Auckland Test. Meanwhile, it was the Blackcaps’ third-largest Test defeat by runs, just behind the 372-run defeat against the hosts India (2021 Wankhede Test) and the 358-run defeat against the hosts South Africa (2007 Johannesburg Test). 

England won the Test series in New Zealand after 16 years

As England are leading the three-match Test series by 2-0 with one to go, they have already secured the away Test series. Previously, England won a Test series in New Zealand in 2008 (by 2-1). While their 2013 tour ended in a draw, hosts New Zealand won the next two series in 2018 and 2019. Before the ongoing Test series, England previously toured New Zealand in 2023, which ended in a draw. Finally, England won a Test series in New Zealand after 16 years. 

Following the conclusion of the first Test between England and New Zealand, both teams were docked three WTC points and 15% of their match fees for maintaining slow over rates during the Hagley Oval test. 

England captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes was left confused after his side incurred a loss of WTC points despite finishing the game 10 hours earlier than the scheduled cessation time. 

See also: New Zealand receive another huge blow in WTC points table

So what's all the fuss about? 

Prior to the build-up to the first Test, Stokes claimed that he was overly confused by the whole idea of WTC and labeled it as "utterly confusing". Furthermore, the marquee all-rounder also added that he never gave the notion of the WTC enough consideration. 

England finished fourth in the earlier edition of the WTC cycle and are currently ranked sixth in the ongoing WTC edition meaning that they will miss their spot for the finals a second straight time. 

Stokes took to his Instagram handle to respond to the sanctions from the ICC. Writing on his Instagram story, Stokes took a humorous swipe at them by stating the following:

"Good on you ICC. Finished the game with 10 hours of play still left."

After losing 19 of the 28 points they earned during the 2023 Ashes series, England has now been punished 22 WTC points in the 2023–25 cycle for their slow over-rates. In the aftermath of the first Test, both teams were found guilty of being behind by three overs even after taking time allowances into consideration. 

Where do the two teams stand now in the 2023-25 WTC points table?

The implementation of slow over-rate penalties has done more harm than good to New Zealand who were coming off after registering a famous test series sweep against India. The defeat has now tarnished their WTC aspirations as the Black Caps slipped from fourth to fifth position in the points table and can only move as high as 55.36% with wins from their remaining two fixtures in the series.

England on the other hand, are all but out of the WTC Final race but have bettered their standing slightly by moving to the sixth position. 

The mega auction dates for the IPL 2025 were announced on Tuesday. The registered players’ names were also reported on the same night. A popular international all-rounder will miss the IPL 2025.

While October 31 was the retention deadline for all teams, the IPL 2025 mega auction will be organised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25. There are 204 slots available for the mega auction. 

A total of 1574 players, including 1165 Indians and 409 overseas players, have registered for the upcoming mega auction. However, before the mega auction, the long list will be shrunk after receiving the inputs from the franchises. 

Meanwhile, ESPNcricinfo has also brought an important update about the names of the top registered players for the mega auction.   

SEE ALSO: IPL 2025: Top 5 Worst Retentions during the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

Ben Stokes likely to miss IPL 2025

According to ESPNcricinfo reports, the English all-rounder Ben Stokes, who last played IPL in 2023, isn’t on the list of the registered players’ names for the upcoming mega auction. 

Stokes was the most valuable player in the IPL 2017, which was his first IPL season. However, he has hardly played IPL since 2021. While he played only one match for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2021 before suffering a finger injury, he missed out on the IPL 2022 season because he wanted to focus on Test cricket. 

After Chennai Super Kings bought Stokes for INR 16.25 crore for the IPL 2023, he played only two matches that season as the knee injury and later international duty forced him to remain unavailable for the IPL team. 

Like the auction for the IPL 2024, Stokes is reportedly not present for the IPL 2025 mega auction. It also means that the all-rounder will miss the subsequent mini-auctions.

Will James Anderson make his IPL debut?

While the upcoming mega auction will see many great international players, former England pacer James Anderson is also a surprising name on the list. While Anderson last played a T20 match in 2014, he has never experienced the IPL. According to an ESPNcricinfo report, Anderson has a base price of INR 1.25 crore.

Indian players in the highest base price

Talking about the highest base price for the upcoming mega auction, many Indian cricketers are in the INR 2 crore base price list. Injured Mohammed Shami, who hasn’t played a cricket match since the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia in November 2023, including missing out on the IPL 2024, is also standing in the highest base price list.  

The other Indian players’ names in the INR 2 crore base price list for the upcoming mega auctions are Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Venkatesh Iyer, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Mukesh Kumar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, T Natarajan, Devdutt Padikkal, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj,  Umesh Yadav, etc.

On Thursday, October 17, the home of England Test captain Ben Stokes was burgled by masked robbers in the Castle Eden area of North East England. The veteran England all-rounder also shared via X that the robbers escaped with jewellery, valuables, and many personal items as well, which are now irreplaceable for his family. Although his family members were not physically harmed, Stokes shared that the burglars entered the house and robbed while his wife and two young children were inside the house. He also expressed deep concern about the psychological impact of the incident, stating, "All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been.”

In an emotional appeal, the England captain shared photographs of some of the stolen items in the hope that they could be identified as well. However, Stokes shared that recovering the items is secondary as the primary thing is to catch those robbers who did this. Despite the horrific experience, Ben Stokes thanked the police for their ongoing support, both now and during his time away in Pakistan as well.

SEE ALSO: Watch: Rohit Sharma's Playful 'Rohit Bhai RCB Me Aa Jao Yaar' Query Goes Viral

Ben Stokes appeals for the help

"On the evening of Thursday 17th October a number of masked people burgled my home in the Castle Eden area in the North East. They escaped with jewellery, other valuables and a good deal of personal items. Many of those items have real sentimental value for me and my family. They are irreplaceable. This is an appeal for any help in finding these people who carried out this act. By far the worst thing about this crime is that it was carried out whilst my wife and 2 young children were in the house. Thankfully, none of my family came to any physical harm. Understandably, however, the experience has had an impact on their emotional and mental state," Stokes wrote on X.

"All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been. I am releasing photographs of some of the stolen items - which I hope may be easily identified - in the hope that we can find the people who are responsible for this. Although we have lost cherished possessions, to be clear, my sole motivation in sharing these photographs is not the recovery of material items. It is to catch the people who did this. Please come forward and contact Durham Constabulary on 101 quoting crime reference CRI00575927 if you think that you have any relevant information. Finally, I want to say thank you to the police service. Both now and whilst I was away in Pakistan, their support for my family has been outstanding. They continue to work incredibly hard in trying to find these people. basis this, giveme a an article with headline-Theft at Ben Stokes home: England captain appeals for finding robbers." he added.

pic.twitter.com/Rb1mAk8Jrh

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 30, 2024

pic.twitter.com/1nEmNcrnjQ

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 30, 2024

England lost the Test series against Pakistan

As far as the game is concerned, Pakistan registered a Test series win on home soil after beating Ben Stokes-led England 2-1 in the two-match Test series. For England, they lost the plot completely after being asked to play on spin-friendly tracks as well. 

Captain Ben Stokes is set to make his much-anticipated return to the England cricket team for the second Test against Pakistan, starting Tuesday in Multan. After recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the previous matches, Stokes aims to lead his side to another victory following their impressive win in the first Test.

Stokes back in action

Ben Stokes has been declared fit to play after successfully bowling in the nets, signalling his readiness to take on the role of a third seamer. The all-rounder acknowledges the importance of being sensible with his bowling workload but expresses confidence in making an impactful return to the field.

England's strong line-up

Joining Stokes in the team is Durham seamer Matthew Potts, making his comeback since the Lord's Test against Sri Lanka at the end of August. Meanwhile, seamers Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes have been rested to maintain their fitness for future matches. England's impressive performance in the first Test saw them secure a resounding innings victory, led by remarkable individual performances from Harry Brook and Joe Root.

See Also: Why has Cameron Green been ruled out of the Border Gavaskar Trophy?

Captain Stokes' return is a significant boost for the England squad, which has already shown its mettle by winning the first Test by an innings and 47 runs. Stokes spoke candidly about his recovery journey, noting that he initially considered playing solely as a batsman. However, he ultimately felt ready to contribute with the ball as well, stating, "Those were the sort of thoughts that went through my head at home before we came out."

In the first Test, England's remarkable batting display was led by Harry Brook, who scored a stunning 317, and Joe Root, who added 262 runs. This performance was historic, as Pakistan became the first team in Test cricket's 147-year history to lose by an innings after scoring over 550 runs in their first innings. As the second Test approaches, the focus is on whether Stokes can make a significant impact in leading his team to another victory in Multan.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has officially announced the 17-member strong England squad for the three-match Test series against the hosts Pakistan. Test captain Ben Stokes returns along with the opener Zak Crawley. The ECB has also named two uncapped players for this upcoming tour. 

Pakistan will host the three-match Test series against England from October 7. Although Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recently confirmed that Multan and Rawalpindi will host the three Tests of this forthcoming series, the ECB has also clarified that the venues are yet to be confirmed. This Test series will be a part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. 

SEE ALSO: Steven Smith reveals his special thought on Virat Kohli

England Test captain Ben Stokes and opener Zak Crawley return from injuries

The 33-year-old English Test captain Ben Stokes has recovered from his hamstring injury and is ready to return to the Test squad. After the last Test against West Indies in Birmingham, Stokes was busy in The Hundred, where he sustained a hamstring injury as he was carried off.  

Meanwhile, the opener Zak Crawley was injured during the series-finale Birmingham Test against West Indies last July. He had a fracture on the right little finger, but he has made significant progress in recovery to earn the call-up in the national team. 

Both Stokes and Crawley missed the recently concluded three-match home Test series against Sri Lanka. 

Jordan Cox and Brydon Carse are the uncapped names

The 23-year-old wicketkeeper Jordan Cox and the 29-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder Brydon Carse are the uncapped among the 17-member Test squad for the upcoming Pakistan tour. 

Apart from the off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, left-arm spinner Jack Leach and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed have also been selected in this Test squad. 

Talking about the pace-bowling line-up, Stokes has the options of Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, recently Test debutant Josh Hull, Matthew Potts, and Gus Atkinson.  

It will be England’s first Test series in Asia since their 4-1 Test series defeat against the hosts India last March. 

In late 2022, England travelled to Pakistan for the first time in 17 years. In that tour, England won the three-match Test series by 3-0. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan last won a home Test in February 2021 against South Africa. Since then, they have drawn four and lost six out of their last ten home Tests. 

England’s Test squad for the upcoming Pakistan tour

Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

England’s Joe Root became just the seventh player in Test cricket history to score 12,000 runs. He hit this milestone during the third Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Root reached 12,000 runs when he scored 62 with a four off Alzarri Joseph on the first ball after lunch on Day 2. He teamed up with current captain Ben Stokes to help rebuild England’s innings, adding over a hundred runs for the sixth wicket.

England had been struggling at 54 for five in just 12 overs, chasing West Indies first-innings total of 282. In this innings, Root also notched his 95th fifty-plus score, ranking him sixth in this category among all players.

Youngest players to 12,000 Test runs

33y 13d – Alastair Cook
33y 210d – Joe Root
35y 176d – Sachin Tendulkar
35y 214d – Ricky Ponting
36y 32d – Jacques Kallis
37y 68d – Kumar Sangakkara
37y 339d – Rahul Dravid

Root is the second youngest player to reach 12,000 Test runs, behind only his English teammate Alastair Cook. Root achieved this at 33 years and 210 days old. The oldest player to do so was former India captain Rahul Dravid at 37 years and 339 days. Root also surpassed the great Brian Lara’s total of 11,953 runs.

Fastest players to reach 12,000 Test runs in innings

224 – Kumar Sangakkara
247 – Ricky Ponting
247 – Sachin Tendulkar
249 – Jacques Kallis
255 – Rahul Dravid
261 – Joe Root
275 – Alastair Cook

However, Root isn’t the fastest to reach this milestone. Cook took 275 innings to get there, while Root needed 261 innings. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara holds the record for the quickest, reaching 12,000 runs in just 224 innings. Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting are next, both reaching the mark in 247 innings.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that relying solely on pace won’t be enough for England to make history in the upcoming Ashes series in Australia. The next Ashes series, scheduled for the end of 2025, is already prompting England to prepare a competitive team for the historic challenge.

Ahead of the first Test against the West Indies, England captain Ben Stokes emphasized that the team is building with the future Ashes series in mind. England last secured the Ashes in 2015 with a thrilling 3-2 victory at home, but Australia has retained the trophy since then.

In Ashes series played in Australia, the home team has shown formidable dominance. England has not won a Test match in Australia since 2011, with recent series results being particularly disheartening: 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 losses in their last three visits.

“Pace Isn’t Everything”, warns Nasser Hussain ahead of Ashes 2025

In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain cautioned England that having sheer pace alone won’t be enough; skill must complement speed. He identified Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood as the two bowlers certain to make the trip to Australia.

“Pace alone isn’t enough,” Hussain wrote in his column. “If you go to Australia and just bowl fast without control, you’ll be easily taken apart. The key to success down under is a blend of pace and skill, as Gus Atkinson demonstrated in the first match of the series and Mark Wood showed here, even though he didn’t get the wickets he deserved. England can’t afford to rely on the same old strategies. It’s crucial to find solutions beforehand.”

“Pace alone isn’t enough. If you go to Australia and just rely on speed, you’ll end up all over the place. The key is combining pace with skill, as Gus Atkinson demonstrated in the first match of the series and as Mark Wood, despite not getting the wickets he deserved, showed here. England can’t afford to arrive in Australia with the same old approach; they need to find a solution in advance,” Hussain wrote in his column.

Gus Atkinson recently impressed in James Anderson’s farewell Test at Lord’s, where he claimed 12 wickets on his debut and was named Player of the Match. Meanwhile, Mark Wood delivered a spectacular spell in the second Test but was unlucky not to secure any wickets. Both Atkinson and Wood, known for their high pace, could be crucial on the fast and bouncy pitches in Australia.

SEE ALSO:Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024, Match 07: Sri Lanka beat Malaysia by 144 runs

Nasser Hussain commends Shoaib Bashir

Nasser Hussain also praised Shoaib Bashir for his outstanding off-spin performance on Day 4 of the Test.England’s choice of Shoaib Bashir reflects their strategy of balancing immediate needs with future prospects. Since Muttiah Muralitharan in 2006, no spinner had taken a five-for in a Test at Nottingham. Bashir earned his accolades by demonstrating key qualities of an off-spinner—he extracted a beautiful drop on the ball to dismiss Alick Athanaze and bowled Jason Holder with a stunning delivery.

This performance will benefit him and the entire England bowling attack.England won the second Test against the West Indies by a commanding 241 runs. Despite West Indies initially taking a first-innings lead, England’s aggressive Bazball approach in their third innings allowed them to set a formidable target.

Chasing 385 for victory in the fourth innings, the West Indies faltered and were dismissed for just 143 runs. Shoaib Bashir took 5 wickets for England, while Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson each claimed 2 wickets.

England spinner Shoaib Bashir mimicked his country’s footballer, Cole Palmer, by performing the ‘cold’ celebration after dismissing Alick Athanaze on Day 4 of the 2nd Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge on Sunday, July 21. Shoaib Bashir has “shown the world what he can do” said England captain Ben Stokes.

Star performance by Shoaib Bashir

Shoaib Bashir was the standout performer for England in the second innings, claiming five wickets while conceding just 41 runs with an economy rate of 3.70 in 11.1 overs. His stellar performance helped England secure a commanding victory over the West Indies by 241 runs, clinching an unassailable 2-0 series lead with one match still to play.

Chasing a daunting target of 385 runs after dismissing England for 425, West Indies crumbled under the pressure of England’s formidable bowling attack. They were bowled out for a mere 143 in 36.1 overs. Shoaib Bashir played a pivotal role in this collapse, leaving the West Indies reeling at 82/5 after dismissing Alick Athanaze.

The key dismissal occurred in the 19th over of the West Indies’ run chase when Athanaze attempted to defend a delivery from Bashir. The ball took a sharp edge off Athanaze’s bat and was caught by Joe Root at slip. Overjoyed with his second wicket of the innings, Shoaib Bashir celebrated by rubbing both his arms, imitating Cole Palmer’s signature ‘cold’ celebration.

“I don’t think gratification comes out of an ‘I told you so’ moment or having a point to prove,” Stokes said in the moments after England’s win in Nottingham. “Because the decisions we make are all based around not only how far we think their talent can take them, but also that we think they’re good enough for international cricket straight away.

“This is the worst that they’ll be. And if you think you can identify talent and you can throw them into an international environment and give them the confidence, give them the backing that they’re going to progress really quickly. 

“I don’t want to say it’s an ‘I told you so’ kind of thing, but it sort of is,” he joked.

“Every time we came in for a break [at Lord’s], Baz was going ‘this is Bash if you haven’t met him already,” Stokes said. 

“He showed what he could do in India with conditions in his favour,” Stokes said. “But the pitch this week didn’t really offer much for spin…I think what he’s done today is showed the world what he can do.”

Bashir’s impressive bowling figures

In addition to Athanaze, Bashir dismissed Kirk McKenzie, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, and Shamar Joseph to complete his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket. His figures of 5/41 are his best bowling figures in a Test innings to date.

In the first innings, Bashir also made significant contributions by picking up two wickets, those of Mikyle Louis and Kirk McKenzie, finishing with figures of 2/108 in 25 overs.

See Also: Key takeaways from Gambhir’s first Press conference as India’s head coach: From backing Rohit and Virat to filling the shoes of Rahul Dravid – Cricket Winner

Shoaib Bashir’s exceptional performance and his celebratory mimicry of Cole Palmer added a memorable touch to England’s dominant victory over the West Indies.