India roared back into contention on an exhilarating day two of the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Friday as their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead.
Led by Shubman Gill, a defiant India put on a mentally strong and technically disciplined response to keep the series alive with England 2-1 up. While there were plenty of positives to take forward, a few concerns continue to linger as the series heads to a decider at The Oval.
Jofra Archer will play his first Test in more than four years as he replaces fellow seamer Josh Tongue for the third Test at Lord's.
Broken foot, unbroken in spirit: Pant gives update
England captain Ben Stokes and India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed contrasting views on the use of injury replacements in Test cricket.
Teenager Eddie Jack's call-up comes at a time when England's pace stocks are depleted with less than 10 days to go for the opening Test.
Siraj was the day's hero and India have pulled ahead, but England are not out of the contest by any stretch of imagination.
Saud Shakeel missed out on a hundred but Salman Agha smashed a brisk 79 not out to propel Pakistan to a commanding 515 for eight at tea on the second day of the contest on Tuesday.
Rishabh Pant walked out to bat on Day 2 despite fracturing his toe.
In the absence of the injured Ollie Pope, big-hitting Harry Brook has been promoted to No 3 in what is a must-win Test for the hosts.
England took charge of the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday, riding Harry Brook's 171 to a first-innings lead of 151 before reducing the Black Caps to 155/6 on Day 3.
As Team India gear up for the much-anticipated Test series against England starting on Friday, several players in the squad will draw confidence from their county cricket experience.
Durham pacer Graham Onions will replace injured seamer Chris Woakes in the England squad for the last two ODIs and the one-off Twenty20 against India, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has stated.
England stayed calm under intense pressure to beat India by 22 runs on a final day of simmering tension and drama in the third Test at Lord's on Monday and move 2-1 up in the series.
It took eight years for Karun Nair to don India jersey again but 25 days into his second coming in Test cricket, the Karnataka batter could well have played his last international game
Fired-up England reduced India to 58/4 chasing 193 for victory in a highly-charged final session on day four on Sunday as a gripping third Test at Lord's.
England head coach Brendon McCullum believes India have arrived well-prepared and full of belief for the upcoming five-match Test series
Woakes will be joining his Delhi teammates in Mumbai on Sunday ahead of the IPL beginning on April 9 in Chennai. He hasn't been a part of England's T20 squad since 2015.
England called up Warwickshire fast bowler Chris Woakes on Monday for the third One-day International against Australia in Birmingham.
England, who beat Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test, will conclude the series with a third match in Rawalpindi from October 24.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Test between England and India at Headingley in Leeds on Friday
Chris Woakes hit his maiden Test century to put England firmly in control before bad light ended play early, on Day 3 of the second Test at Lord's, on Saturday.
Archer played in his first first-class match in four years during Sussex's County Championship game against Durham at Chester-le-Street on Sunday and took one wicket for 32 from 18 overs.
Wood injured his thigh during the first Test and has been ruled out for the rest of the series.
India equal England's first-innings score of 387 with Test in balance
Young fast bowler Chris Woakes was the one new face as England named their squad on Thursday for the Test series in New Zealand, the 23-year-old replacing injured Tim Bresnan.
Pacer Chris Woakes claimed five wickets while batsmen Joe Root and Eoin Morgan hit half-centuries as England defeated Pakistan by 54 runs in the fifth and final One-Day International at Headingley on Sunday.
'I told Jassi bhai, If I take five wickets, who should I hug?'
'We want pace on the ball, we want the ball to bounce and we want the ball to carry through so that when we're batting, we can be aggressive, we can attack, and we can put pressure back on the bowlers.'
Jasprit Bumrah had made himself available for three of the five Tests in England and the Indian team management felt it was right to honour the star pacer's call considering his workload, said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
The BCCI has amended its playing conditions, introducing a provision for "serious injury replacements" in multi-day domestic tournaments for the upcoming season.
Jos Buttler will captain the team for the Caribbean tour, with Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone featuring in the ODI group from the showpiece event.
England were comfortably placed at 225 for two at stumps after bowling out India for 358 on the second day of the fourth Test in Manchester on Thursday.
Atherton reckons that in his three years at the helm, the series against India is Stokes' sternest test of leadership qualities.
Fast bowler James Anderson replacing Ollie Robinson in the side that won at Headingley.
Chasing 279 for victory, Sri Lanka overcame Woakes's triple strikes to reach 140-5 in 29 overs when heavy rain stopped play and England won the match under the scoring method governing such rain-marred matches.
England were in a commanding position as they took a 94-run first innings lead over the West Indies on the second day of the third and final Test.
Chris Woakes struck a maiden Test century and Jonny Bairstow added 93 as England dominated the third day of the second Test at Lord's on Saturday, reaching 357-6 to open up a significant 250-run lead over India.
England's Dan Lawrence will open the batting in place of the injured Zak Crawley in the first test against Sri Lanka and seamer Matthew Potts will replace Ben Stokes, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Monday.
Potent England pace bowling after an unbeaten 155 from Moeen Ali put Alastair Cook's side in complete control on a one-sided second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Durham on Saturday.
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