Former Australia batsman Mark Waugh has called the surface 'unacceptable' and former England captain Michael Vaughan described it as a 'beach'.
Who do you think should be part of England's playing XI for the first Test?
Saker took the unusual step of publicly criticising his bowlers in the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney last month, revealing discord with staff over tactics.
Jasprit Bumrah will have to squeeze every ounce of energy from his already overworked body, while Ajinkya Rahane will hope to get one final chance to save his international career when India take on England in the fifth and final Test, chasing a historic series win, in Manchester on Friday.
Pant's scintillating 101 propelled India to 294 for seven as the hosts took a crucial 89-run lead.
'For us to come away with a drawn series would be a really good achievement'
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers you need to know about Virat Kohli in Test cricket.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 1st Ashes Test played at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday.
Jos Buttler was rewarded for his good showing in the Indian Premier League with a place in England's 12-man squad for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's, starting May 24.
With 794 points, pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the top-ranked Indian bowler at sixth place, while Kohli was the top-ranked batsmen.
'... this was a chastening defeat... but that's what the challenge is playing away from home, the same way as it is when you go to Australia and we used to have to cope with the bounce at Perth.'
India skipper Virat Kohli was pushed to the fifth spot by his English counterpart Joe Root, who rose two rungs to third in the latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen, even as Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin moved up in the bowlers' chart.
Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow and fast bowler Mark Wood produced a rearguard counter-attack to drag England back into the second Test against New Zealand on Friday as the visitors ended the first day at Hagley Oval on 290 for eight.
England fast bowler James Anderson has been ruled out for the rest of the Ashes series against Australia due to a niggling calf injury.
And what did he eat before scripting that miraculous win? Takeaway chicken and chocolate bars! Yes, you read that right.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was left out of the first Test, is back in the mix as Shardul Thakur seems to have done his hamstring some damage during the training session at Lord's on Monday.
The Motera pitch came in for sharp criticism from some former players after England were bowled out for 112 and 81 in the two innings as India crushed them by 10 wickets to grab a 2-1 lead
The four-match series will mark England's first away games in the ICC World Test Championship.
India's captain Virat Kohli will have to think overtime about the balance of his squad, with a long tail, often bushy with runs, and just two openers -- one untested (Rohit Sharma) but very capable and another supremely talented (KL Rahul) but highly reluctant starter.
'As a spinner, some will go your way some days and some won't, that is cricket. I don't look too much into that. I want to contribute with bat, ball and in the field. When my opportunities come I want to make sure I take them.'
England have already announced their 11-man team for the match against Ireland. Pacer James Anderson has been ruled out of the match as he was unable to recover from his calf injury.
Virdi, who has taken 69 wickets in his 23 first class matches at an average of 28.78, says his strength lies in his aggression as he is always looking for wickets.
'If we're going to be the best team in the world we're going to have to play on good wickets which are flat in certain periods. We're also going to have to be able to learn to deal with the scoreboard pressure. We should also be able to deal with the pressure of spinning wicket towards the back end of the Test match.'
India's quality pace attack, comprising a world-class operator in Jasprit Bumrah, could prompt the hosts to prepare seamer-friendly pitches instead of the traditional sub-continental spinning tracks in their upcoming Test series against England, said opener Rory Burns.
After recognising its adverse health effects, the govt has now dismissed its own lab reports to conclude that the evidence against plastic is insufficient.
Currently, the only solutions are highly toxic and environmentally damaging marine paints, which are specifically designed to leach biocides to prevent organisms settling on the hull.
Australia lead the five-match series 1-0 after their emphatic 251-run win at Edgbaston.
Captain Joe Root said conditions at Old Trafford should suit the 6 foot five tall Craig Overton.
Australia reviewing DRS process after Headingley howler
England are aiming to avoid their first series defeat at home to the visitors since 2001 when they lost 4-1 to an Australian side led by Steve Waugh.
Australia captain Tim Paine said thoughts of how to outwit England batsman Ben Stokes keep him awake at night.
England were in a strong position to win the second Test against New Zealand and level their two-match series as they extended their lead to 231 runs when bad light stopped play three overs early on the third day at Hagley Oval on Sunday.
Colin de Grandhomme and BJ Watling delivered an 87-run partnership to help New Zealand avoid being forced to follow on as the hosts reached 123 for five at tea on the second day of the second test against England.
England's World Cup hero Stokes launched a solo attack to score an unbeaten 135 and help the hosts chase down a target of 359 in dramatic fashion.
Adil Rashid and Ben Stokes scripted a spectacular turnaround to earn England a handy first-innings lead after skittling out Sri Lanka for 240 on day two of the third and final Test on Saturday.
It is an perfect stage for India's mercurial skipper Virat Kohli, who loves to bring his A game to the fore when the chips are down.
A look at the newly-laid dark coloured Chepauk track is an indication that unlike the strip used during the first Test, this one will offer turn earlier than expected.
Turns out that "sapinda" ('spinda' being, I assume, the pronunciation of whichever Punjabi wrote the form) is a blood relationship of a certain order: five generations of ascent on the paternal side, three on the maternal side. Turns out they were asking, on that government form, whether ours was an incestuous relationship, as defined by a very complicated set of Hindu social rules.
Ben Foakes marked his Test debut with a century and impressed with his glovework, too, as England bowled out Sri Lanka for 203 before stretching their lead to 177 runs on the second day of the opening Test in Galle.
Denly fell six runs short of his maiden Test century and Ben Stokes made a sparkling 67 in bright sunshine at The Oval to put England in a strong position to level the series at 2-2.
