IMAGES from Day 1 of the 4th Test played between India and England in Ranchi on Friday.
England on Monday named four specialist spinners, including the uncapped duo of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, in the 16-member squad for next month's five-Test series in India.
AB de Villiers expressed disappointment at star England batter Joe Root's low string of scores during the ongoing Test series against India.
One of England's heaviest Test defeats could not shake Ben Stokes' conviction in their high-risk approach and the touring skipper believes they can still win the five-Test series in India.
Images from Day 1 of the fifth and final Ashes Test between England and Australia at The Oval in London on Thursday.
Australia's pacemen Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins ripped out England's top order with a masterclass of textbook bowling to put their side in sight of a 2-0 Ashes lead on Saturday.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and England at Visakhapatnam.
England must win the fourth Test in Manchester to keep the series alive ahead of the fifth Test at the Oval in London.
India may not be contemplating life after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli just yet but the robust display of their fringe players against England will have eased any fears about how they will cope when the old guard steps aside.
Root rescues England with controlled century in India
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between India and England in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between India and England in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Coach Brendon McCullum said England will continue with their attacking Bazball approach in the last two Tests.
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.
The last time England toured India, back in early 2021, Joe Root's team went back home beaten and bruised 3-1.
Hosts England dominated the proceedings to take control at the end of Day 1 over visitors Ireland at Lord's.
India, who have not lost a Test series at home since 2012, finished day two on a commanding 421-7 in their robust reply to England's middling 246 in the first innings.
Former England pacer Steve Harmison loves watching the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami go about their business and thanks to their unbelievable skills, he feels India have become a formidable force in all conditions.
Australia's bowlers struck twice in quick succession in a devastating spell against England at Edgbaston on Sunday, before heavy rain prevented any further play.
'He could be a huge loss. However we've got Todd Murphy waiting in the wings. He's been bowling beautifully in the nets.'
New Zealand were in trouble at 37 for 3 at stumps in reply to England's declared first innings total of 325 for 9 at Bay Oval, with seven wickets tumbling in a frantic evening session.
England spinner Rehan Ahmed has been added to the Ashes squad for the second Test against Australia.
England were forced to make a change to their original playing XI after several of their players were laid low by a virus that also threatened to delay the start of the match.
England captain Ben Stokes on Saturday said staying true to the 'Bazball' approach did not work and conceded that India were too good in their own conditions, always finding a way to wriggle out of tight curves.
Nathan Lyon will miss the remainder of the second Test against England at Lord's after sustaining a calf strain while fielding on the second day on Thursday.
Chasing 192 for a victory that would fetch them an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, India cruised to 40 for no loss at stumps on day three.
Tongue is the only change to the side that lost the first Ashes Test
India after taking a 100+ run lead at the end of the first innings in a Home Test: Instances: 106. Won: 70. Drawn: 35. Lost: 1 (vs England, Hyderabad 2024).
Ben Stokes added 91 runs with the last 3 wickets to help England post 246.
'We did so many things right in that first game. The messages from the coaches and captain was just that. We had to come back today and put things right, which we did.'
India will be looking for another favorable result to extend their lead in the World Test Championships standings.
England have also included seamer Reece Topley, who they hope will have recovered from an ankle injury in time to play.
India's bid to win a 17th consecutive home Test series, however, hinges on the success of their three-pronged spin attack comprising Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
For Michael Vaughan, Pep Guardiola is the best sporting leader in the last 15 years and the former England skipper won't mind if Ben Stokes employs Manchester City manager's approach of never allowing players to take their places for granted.
The standout performers that allowed India to maintain their upper hand over England were young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
After England tore the prediction books for an epochal 28-run victory in Hyderabad in the first Test, India now find themselves in a tight space, mentally and technically, ahead of the second match starting in four days in Visakhapatnam.
England have named an unchanged squad for the first two Tests of the five-match Ashes series against Australia.
England cemented their position by finishing day two on 202-5 riding fifties by Ben Duckett and Harry Brook.
Australia retained the urn after rain washed out the final day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, leaving England trailing 2-1 in the series.
India will need to be ruthless and tactful in equal measure while dealing with an unpredictable England when the third chapter of a riveting Test series begins in Rajkot on Thursday.
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