Besides the surface, the behaviour of the Dukes has also come under scanner with the softer ball hardly offering anything to the bowlers.
England bowling coach Tim Southee praised the depth and quality of the Indian Test side after a commanding performance by the visitors on Day 1
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.
Head coach Brendon McCullum and spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel were seen having a long conversation with Ali.
Boycott defends Jadeja, Sundar for declining draw offer; slams England's bowling
Shubman Gill was inspirational both as a batter and skipper, as he led from the front with four hundreds amassing 754 runs in the five-match Test series in England.
The huge tattoo took 28 hours to complete.
The 33-year-old Stokes had surgery on his left hamstring in December after suffering a tear during the third Test against New Zealand, which ruled him out of action for a prolonged period.
Archer has not picked up a red cricket ball since May 2021 for Sussex after a series of injuries kept delaying his return.
'...he's not shown any obvious signs of dismissal and he's played stylishly.'
With the series nicely poised at 1-1 going into the third Test, the narrative built around both the teams has changed significantly following India's 336-run routing of England at Edgbaston.
K L Rahul drove his way to a sublime 47 after England negated India's advantage by totalling 465 in their first innings as the visitors had another ordinary day in the field on Day 3 of the first Test in Leeds on Sunday.
Sudharsan made the most of the 'life' and went on to score a patient 50, his maiden Test half-century.
Archer, who has taken 42 wickets in 13 Tests, made his first appearance in a first-class match in four years on Sunday in the County Championship with Sussex.
Shubman Gill's unbeaten 129 in Delhi wasn't just another century; it was history etched in numbers and intent.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes has a back problem and may miss the third and final Test.
Stokes admitted that the aggression from the Indian players added some adrenalin into his side.
Stokes, the leading wicket-taker of the series with 17 scalps, will be a mere spectator at The Oval, robbing the series finale of his charismatic on-field presence.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes has said he is "devastated" after his calf injury ruled him out of the third Test against Pakistan.
In a moment of poor judgment, Pant tapped the ball towards Ben Stokes at cover and set off for a non-existent single-only to be run out, leaving India at 248 for 5.
He successfully took a stunner to dismiss Karun Nair to complete his 211th catch, surpassing Dravid's tally of 210. Former Sri Lanka star Mahela Jayawardene slipped to the third spot with 205 catches.
England batter Joe Root said his experience of 158 Tests makes him better equipped than ever to end a victory drought in Australia, as he ramps up preparations for the upcoming Ashes series.
The marquee contest will witness an engrossing tussle for supremacy between two battle-hardened all-rounders: Jadeja, India's man for all seasons, and England's superstar Ben Stokes, who has been the face of a defining era for the Three Lions.
England replace Shoaib Bashir with Liam Dawson in playing XI for 4th Test against India
The former India wicketkeeper believes the game still had some cricket left in it and that India had earned the right to continue batting.
Gill and Jaiswal centuries put India in control of series opener against England
India's Bumrah produced a devastating spell in the morning, dismissing Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Chris Woakes before Archer struck with his third delivery to remove Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first test for four years.
England cricketer Ben Stokes will test his driving skills against five Formula One drivers, including Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, in the sport's second virtual Grand Prix this weekend. The World Cup winning all-rounder will team up with Thai racer Alexander Albon in the Red Bull line-up for his first esports competition.
'We all know what Stokes is capable of, but it's great to have your leader being able to grab the ball like that and showing you the way sometimes.'
Washington Sundar's double strike pegged England back in the afternoon session, leaving them struggling 175/6 at tea on Day 4 of the third Test, at Lord's.
The five-match Test series against India at home will be a massive Test for England's 'Bazball' brand of cricket under skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Joe Root declared that it is his time to pay back Test skipper Ben Stokes, who did so much for him while serving as his deputy during his captaincy tenure that lasted from 2017 to 2022.
England have only drawn one from 35 Tests in the McCullum-Stokes regime, with one of their exhilarating run chases in that spell coming when they reached 378 against India in 2022 -- the only time India have lost when defending Test totals of more than 350.
England captain Ben Stokes said fast bowler Jofra Archer is 100 percent ready to play his first Test since February 2021.
Wearing special headbands in memory of Graham Thorpe, they honoured not just a legend of the game, but a man whose courage and struggles have sparked an urgent conversation around mental health in sport.
Pant equals Sehwag's six-hitting record, surpasses Rohit Sharma in WTC Test runs
Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson returned to England Test set up after a gap of eight years, replacing injured Shoaib Bashir in the squad for the fourth Test against India.
'Ben Stokes is one of the best captains I've ever seen. So it would be stupid not to look at him.'
England Test captain Ben Stokes hopes he can become a dominant force with both bat and ball again when the all-rounder returns from hamstring surgery.
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.
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