'I had specific plans coming into this Test, and Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) helped me shape and refine them in the lead-up.'
England have named two uncapped players in Essex duo Sam Cook and Jordan Cox in the squad for the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge later this month.
England had moved to within 35 runs of securing a famous victory over India when bad light and torrential rain ended an extraordinary fourth day of the final Test at The Oval on Sunday.
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.
'We've got some solid batsmen in the dressing room. And yeah, it's exciting in every way.'
Coming off a commanding 336-run win at Edgbaston, Team India not only ended their winless streak at the historic venue, but also levelled the five-match series 1-1 in stunning fashion thanks to Shubman Gill's twin hundreds and a rousing spell from pacer Akash Deep.
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 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.
'We obviously want to wheel him in, but we also want to respect where his body's at, and on the basis of that, we just felt that it wasn't worth including him in the squad.'
West Indies were always struggling in their chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals but their total was boosted by a fine unbeaten 79 from 45 balls by Rovman Powell before they ran out of deliveries.
Siraj, Krishna, Akash Shine as India's Pace Future Takes Shape
Earlier in the day, B Sai Sudharsan has etched his name in Indian cricket history by making his Test debut on June 20.
An injury-plagued India could be forced to depart from their preferred template when they takes on a reinvigorated England in the fourth Test starting in Manchester on Wednesday.
Sunil Gavaskar slams England's 'fake bravado' after Manchester draw
"If anyone doubted he was ever a team man, they got to see it first-hand today. That requires more than just steel," Shastri said in a video posted by the BCCI on its website.
England captain Ben Stokes and India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed contrasting views on the use of injury replacements in Test cricket.
Bumrah's pace has dropped noticeably in the ongoing fourth Test against England in Manchester - from his usual 140kph to the 130-135kph range. While he consistently touched 140-plus at Headingley and Lord's, Old Trafford has told a different story.
Lord's has a tradition of rewarding those who give their best, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
India finished Day 3 on 90/2 to lead England by 96 runs at stumps in the opening Test on Sunday after England were dismissed for 465 in the first innings.
Sai Sudharsan was shadow batting on a covered square at Old Trafford on the eve of the fourth Test, an old habit that keeps the top-order batter mentally ready for the next opportunity that comes his way.
'His hands are quite sore. We want to get his confidence back up.'
Jamie Smith's unbeaten 72 propelled England to a 23-run lead over Sri Lanka on day two of the opening Test on Thursday
British media reports said all 10 English players involved with the IPL will hold a meeting with the Professional Cricketers' Association over security arrangements for a potential return to India.
England were second-best in all departments in a heavy Test loss to India at Edgbaston after they misread the pitch and made the wrong decision at the toss, coach Brendon McCullum said after his team lost by 336 runs on Sunday.
India are favourites to secure victory and draw the series, but England will still fancy their chances of completing what would be by far the highest successful Test run chase at The Oval.
Josh Inglis slammed a brilliant century as Australia completed the highest chase in an ICC men's tournament against England in Lahore on Saturday.
Injured wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will bat on day five of the fourth Test, said India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Saturday.
This was India's seventh defeat in their last nine matches as their poor run in Test cricket continues following successive series defeats against New Zealand at home and in Australia.
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the fifth Test against England?
The BCCI has amended its playing conditions, introducing a provision for "serious injury replacements" in multi-day domestic tournaments for the upcoming season.
Gill earns glory with maiden double hundred, puts India on top in second Test
Was it an injury? A missed opportunity? Captain Shubman Gill has an explanation-but it's not one many are buying.
Seamers Ben Sears, Nathan Smith and Will O'Rourke will play their first global tournament at the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates next month after being named in the New Zealand squad on Sunday.
Gill second successive ton as skipper takes India to 310 for 5
'Steve Smith, according to me, is the best Test player of this generation. He has displayed that his adaptability is absolutely brilliant. You take any cricketer of this generation... in 85-90 Tests, he has an average of 60 which is quite unbelievable.'
West Indies finished on 167-9, with Romario Shepherd caught on the final ball of the match.
India will ponder whether they want to include Washington Sundar, who is quite handy with the bat or Kuldeep Yadav, who is a much better wicket-taking option.
He felt sticking to the old rules "is intentionally depleting a contest by making one of the teams effectively play with 10 men for four days of the match, on the back of bad luck".
Yashasvi Jaiswal was "disappointed" on missing a century by a whisker, but amazed by Test captain Shubman Gill's "incredible" effort that powered India to a comfortable position at the end of the opening day of the second Test against England, at Edgbaston, on Wednesday.
The final ODI will be played in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
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