Despite the ups and downs, The Oval remains a ground of rich memories and monumental moments for Indian cricket.
Opener Ben Duckett hit the most defining century of his career, exposing an out-of-depth Indian attack as England comfortably chased down a tricky target of 371 to win the opening Test by five wickets.
Sai Sudharsan made the opportunity count in his comeback game with a fifty while Rishabh Pant suffered another injury as India played the old-fashioned way to reach 264 for four at stumps on Day 1 of the fourth Test in Manchester on Wednesday.
'They can't afford to go 2-0 down so you want your best bowler.'
Karun Nair has got starts in majority of his six innings in England but he has not been able to convert them into something substantial.
Indian players mourn Ahmedabad airplane crash victims before intra-squad match
Rahane lauded Gill's temperament under pressure, especially after India had lost the opening Test.
'There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop'
Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided the flourish at the end as Chennai Super Kings outclassed Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets to break their run of losses.
India lost the first Test on Tuesday at Leeds as the hosts chased down a stiff 371 on the final day courtesy a brilliant 149 by opener Ben Duckett.
Barring Jasprit Bumrah, who got five wickets in England's first innings, none of the other bowlers looked penetrative as the hosts chased down a target of 371 with minimum fuss.
In a big blow to the Indian team, the hosts will miss Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul for the second Test against England.
India crushed England by 336 runs to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday
"We will have an advantage...": BCCI VP Shukla on India's new-look squad for England tour
With Jasprit Bumrah crafting chances by the dozen, a spate of dropped sitters, including three by Yashasvi Jaiswal, handed England a lifeline and drew scathing remarks from Stuart Broad and Sunil Gavaskar.
Engineer surprised by Kuldeep's omission from 1st Test, says he should be playing all matches
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.
Gujarat Titans will be aiming for a top-two spot even as Chennai Super Kings continue planning for the future when the two teams meet in the Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
If series is on the line and Bumrah is fit, he has to play: Ian Bell
While it's a do-or-die game for KKR, who must win all their remaining three matches to stay in playoffs contention, the match will be more about celebrating Dhoni's legacy than the result.
Rachin Ravindra's blistering century against South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final, his fifth in just 13 ICC ODI innings, places him among cricket's elite.
Drawing on his own experience, Harbhajan recalled India's bold decision to field two spinners at Headingley in 2002, when he and Anil Kumble bagged 11 wickets between them on a green top.
'His hands are quite sore. We want to get his confidence back up.'
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.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday
Maharashtra's elite Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a Thane-based junior engineer on charges of spying, alleging that he provided sensitive defence information to a Pakistani intelligence operative who honey-trapped him online, officials said on Thursday.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday
PHOTOS from the ICC World Cup opener played between England and New Zealand at Ahmedabad on Thursday
India outclassed New Zealand by four wickets to win their third Champions Trophy title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, visitors eye spin boost at Edgbaston.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy second Semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday
Shubman Gill played a masterful captain's knock with his second century of the series on the opening day of the second Test
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in New Delhi, on Tuesday.
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is up and running in Beckenham, putting in the hard yards before the upcoming five high-stakes Tests against England, slated to kick off on June 20 at Headingley.
Kane Williamson showed his class in his first competitive outing in six months while Rachin Ravindra sizzled at the top of the order as New Zealand gunned down a 346-run target in their opening World Cup warm-up game against Pakistan
A clinical Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed a completely disoriented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Chennai on Friday.
A struggling Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be aiming to break their losing streak when they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. CSK are currently ninth in the standings with one win and four losses, while KKR are in sixth position with two wins and three defeats. The home team will be hoping to turn around their fortunes at Chepauk, which has not been as advantageous this season as it has been in the past. CSK will need to adapt to the changed conditions and rely on their spinners to perform well at a venue where they have traditionally dominated. Meanwhile, KKR will be looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to the Lucknow Super Giants and secure a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Born to Indian parents in Wellington, New Zealand's batting star Rachin Ravindra has his family roots in Bengaluru.
As the asking rate spiralled to 17 in the last four overs, Conway was swapped for Ravindra Jadeja.
Chennai Super Kings have never experienced a worse phase in the Indian Premier League and their faltering batters will have to deliver to arrest their steep slide in a must-win game against an upbeat Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Monday.