From Ravindra Jadeja's stoic resistance to Jofra Archer's fire and the emotional collapse of Mohammed Siraj at the end, this was a Test for the ages - one that even veteran voices like Nasser Hussain hailed as the best in recent memory.
With over 500 runs, six crucial catches, the most by an Indian on the tour, Rahul led by example and lived up to his wiseman tag.
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.
Across five fiercely contested Tests, more than 7,000 runs were scored, including a record-equalling 21 individual centuries. Every match stretched into a gripping fifth day. The sun shone, the stands were full, and the cricket -- emotional, enthralling, and endlessly unpredictable -- captured imaginations around the world.
England pacer Jofra Archer will continue to prepare for the Ashes while playing in the IPL, and once the lucrative T20 tournament is over, he will straightaway get into the gruelling five-Test series against Australia, according to his country club coach.
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.
Bowling at a slightly slower pace than he did at Lord's, Archer said his style reflected the conditions.
'I know how hard he has worked to try to get back fit and I hope it is not too bad and he can get back as soon as possible.'
Archer has not played international cricket since March last year due to an elbow injury, and had a second round of surgery on his elbow in December.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer is set to make his return to first-class cricket after he was named in Sussex's 13-man squad for Thursday's County Championship match against Kent.
Captain Harry Brook scored a dazzling 87 before Liam Livingstone wrought havoc by smashing 62 in 27 balls as England thrashed Australia by 186 runs in a rain-shortened ODI at Lord's.
Rahul Banerjee is hoping to carry forward the legacy of archery by looking to draw inspiration from his cricketing hero Sachin Tendulkar to script history at the Mecca of Cricket with a medal in archery at the Olympics.
Archer didn't play a single game in the IPL 2021 but the pacer is hopeful of featuring in the tournament if it gets rescheduled.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of their two-Test series against New Zealand starting next month due to pain in his elbow, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Sunday.
Waugh did not find any problems with Archer's stamina either after the Barbados-born 24-year-old bowled 44 overs and took 5-91 at Lord's.
As expected, fast bowler Jofra Archer was included in the 12 and looks poised to make his Test debut in the absence of England's record wicket taker James Anderson.
Australia talisman Steve Smith has said he will change nothing in his approach to facing Jofra Archer after being hit by a short ball from England's tearaway paceman but admitted the blow had revived troubling memories of Phillip Hughes.
India's erratic women archers crashed out of the team event on Sunday. Denmark edged out the Indians 210-211 at the Lord's cricket ground.
"Out on the field Jofra has clearly made a big impact," England captain Joe Root said.
Ponting compared the spell with the one England's Steve Harmison bowled during the famous 2005 Ashes series, in which he hit Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer before leaving the former skipper with a bloodied cheek.
The 28-year-old is expected to open the batting with Surrey team mate Rory Burns for the one-off match against Ireland starting at Lord's next Wednesday.
England pace bowler Jofra Archer has been omitted from the side for the first Ashes Test against Australia starting at Edgbaston on Thursday
England quick Jofra Archer will keep up his aggressive approach in Sunday's World Cup final against New Zealand after his bouncer left Australia's Alex Carey with a bloodied chin in Thursday's semi-final at Edgbaston.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at Lord's on Sunday
Indian archers, touted as serious medal contenders, will seek to give India's Olympic campaign the perfect start when they get off the blocks at the hallowed turf of the Lord's on Friday.
Australia have their own speedsters in Mitchell Starc, who is level with Archer with 15 wickets, and Pat Cummins (11).
Fast bowler Jofra Archer got his maiden Test call up as he was included in England's squad for the Ashes series opener against Australia.
Australia's Steve Smith was out for 92 after resuming his innings having been forced to retire hurt when he was struck by a short ball from England fast bowler Jofra Archer on the fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Saturday.
The 24-year-old, born in Barbados and who represented West Indies at Under-19 level, was not in England's provisional squad and only made his ODI debut little over a fortnight ago.
Steve Smith was on 80 when he was hit on the neck by Test debutant Jofra Archer.
The England fast bowler took six wickets and scored a century for county side Sussex's second XI last week.
Australia lead the five-match series 1-0 after their emphatic 251-run win at Edgbaston.
England battled to 96 for four in their second innings by the end of a dramatic fourth day at Lord's to lead Australia by 104 runs and leave the second Ashes Test on a knife-edge.
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Yadav said she initially felt like Eklavya in the BJP family but now (with this responsibility) she hopes to work like Arjuna.
Smith was struck on the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer during his innings on Saturday, forcing him to retire hurt, but he returned to the crease 40 minutes later and added 12 runs before being dismissed for 92.
The disappointing show by Indian archers continued as Laishram Bombayla Devi bowed out in the pre-quarterfinals of the women's individual recurve event losing 2-6 to Mexico's Roman Aida at the Lord's at the London Olympics on Monday.
With World No Deepika Kumari spearheading the campaign, India's in-form archers will aim for a perfect 10 when they pick up their bows and arrows to seek Olympic glory at the 'spiritual home of cricket' -- the hallowed turf of Lord's Stadium in London.
At 18, she is the World's No. 1 archer but Deepika Kumari says she would not allow her numero uno status weigh her down as she prepares to hit the bull's eye at the hallowed Lord's cricket ground during the upcoming London Olympics.
Dola Banerjee could not make it to her third straight Olympics but the experienced archer has no doubt that the squad picked for the upcoming London Games is the best to represent India and one that can win the country its first-ever medal in the sport at the mega event.
