ENG vs IND 2025: Who is Yash Vagadia? Why did he replace Ben Stokes as substitute fielder?

The 21-year-old cricketer Yash Vagadia, who is not part of England’s official squad for the ongoing Test series against India, took the field on Day 3 of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds in an unexpected development of the game. The Indian-origin Yorkshire player replaced Ben Stokes as a substitute fielder in the seventh over after the England captain walked off the field for a brief moment.

Vagadia, who made his debut for Yorkshire in the 2024 One-Day Cup, has steadily risen through the ranks. He began his cricketing career at the U-14 level and later captained Yorkshire’s U18 side. In 2022, he signed his first rookie professional contract and was named Yorkshire Academy Player of the Year the same season. Vagadia is not the only cricketer fielding in the Test without being in the official squad. Jawad Akhtar and Noah Kelly, also from Yorkshire, have been named for 12th-man duties alongside him.

Born in Northumberland, Vagadia is just 21 years old and features for the county side as a genuine batting option who can also bowl a few if needed, and was unofficially added to squad since Sam Cook and Jacob Bethell are playing the County Championship for their respective sides and have been released from the England's 14-man squad for the ongoing first Test.

Hosts aim to minimise target on Day 4 as Indians resume at 90/2

India ended Day 3 at 90 for 2 in their second innings, with KL Rahul unbeaten on 47 and Shubman Gill on 6. The visitors currently lead by 96 runs, having lost opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) and Sai Sudharsan (30) early in the innings.

Earlier in the day, England were bowled out for 465 in their first innings, taking a slender six-run lead. Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler for India by claiming a five-wicket haul despite six dropped catches. Harry Brook narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 99, while Ollie Pope contributed a well-made 106. Chris Woakes also frustrated the Indian bowlers with a 38-run knock with the lower-order batters.

In India’s first innings, centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant (134) helped the team post a strong total of 471. However, England bowlers Stokes and Josh Tongue struck back, each taking four wickets to prevent India from crossing the 500-run mark.