India lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul on a green top but did well to reach 72 for two at lunch on Day 1 of the series-deciding fifth Test against England at The Oval, London, on Thursday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal enhanced his reputation as an all-conditions opener with a gutsy hundred on a tough pitch before Washington Sundar's whirlwind fifty allowed India to set a record 374-run target for England on an absorbing Day 3 of the final Test at The Oval on Saturday.
It's unbelievable because I was waiting for a long time: Siraj on his six-wicket haul
Shubman Gill putting up a batting masterclass on a good pitch reflected his supreme confidence as India's new Test captain, senior spinner Ravindra Jadeja said on Thursday.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant has been fined Rs 30 lakh for maintaining a slow over rate during his team's defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their last IPL match in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Nitish Kumar Reddy made a promise to himself post the Australia tour that he would improve his bowling.
In summary, excluding the inactive innings, his recent conversion record reads rather poor with no half-centuries since his eminent legendary debut knock.
'He leads a lot of actions. And in this series so far, he's done it with the ball at times that we've needed somebody to put his hand up and create something.'
'...he's not shown any obvious signs of dismissal and he's played stylishly.'
Images from Day 2 of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, London, on Friday.
Shubman Gill lauded fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj for stepping up in the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah
Post-lunch, Pant brought up his half-century with a single before launching his third maximum, cementing his reputation as one of the game's most fearless stroke-makers in red-ball cricket.
The left-handed batter, who was later adjudged player of the match, said he had gauged the nature of the Lucknow track once openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head added 54 runs in just four overs.
India's Bumrah produced a devastating spell in the morning, dismissing Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Chris Woakes before Archer struck with his third delivery to remove Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first test for four years.
England were comfortably placed at 225 for two at stumps after bowling out India for 358 on the second day of the fourth Test in Manchester on Thursday.
Selected at number three ahead of the burgeoning talent of Jacob Bethell, who averaged 52 on his first Test tour of New Zealand, Pope settled after early scares to compile his ninth Test century.
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.
Joe Root's patient unbeaten 99 led England to 251-4 on an attritional and compelling first day of the third Test against India at Lord's on Thursday.
Images from Day 5 of the third Test between England and India at Lord's on Monday.
After India captain Shubman Gill had scored another masterful century at Edgbaston, India fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj blew away England's top order.
Fired-up England reduced India to 58/4 chasing 193 for victory in a highly-charged final session on day four on Sunday as a gripping third Test at Lord's.
Needing 7 to win, Siraj is given the ball and who better than Mr Lion Heart to script India's narrowest win in Test cricket. It takes Siraj a stinging yorker to send Atkinson's stumps flying -- the ball hitting low on the off stump.
Jitesh Sharma left spectators enchanted with an unbeaten 85 from a mere 33 deliveries while striking handsomely at 257.58, his best in the IPL's history.
'I just think we'll find another way to do it.'
Captain Shubman Gill and the ever-dependable K L Rahul gave India a glimmer of hope with resilient half-centuries after a well crafted hundred from Ben Stokes extended England's supremacy in the fourth Test in Manchester on Saturday.
'Bosch is new to the international scene, but he's really fit in well. To see him conquer both facets (bat and ball) in this Test was really special.'
Former England batter Jonathan Trott impressed by India skipper's Gill's poise on Day 1 of 2nd Test.
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.
Joe Root produced a batting masterclass on way to a milestone 38th hundred as England exploited a jaded Indian bowling attack to stamp their dominance on the fourth Test in Manchester.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar struck unbeaten centuries as India staged a superb fightback on the final day to draw the fourth Test against England.
ndia will be very happy after a technical masterpiece from Rahul and the flamboyance and exuberance that you can imagine from Pant
While Cummins was fined Rs 12 lakh, as it was his team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct, Patidar was docked Rs 24 lakh as a member of the playing eleven of the second-time offender, RCB.
Richmond fourth XI were bowled out for two runs, one of which was a wide, chasing 427 to beat North London Cricket Club.
'Watching him bat this innings is like watching the MCC coaching manual in action.'
India's experienced opener KL Rahul expressed admiration for vice-captain Rishabh Pant and his dream to replicate the dynamic southpaw's play style following their record-breaking exploits on Day 3 of the third Test against England at Lord's.
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni expressed disappointment over his team's heavy defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, attributing the loss to poor batting performance.
India equal England's first-innings score of 387 with Test in balance
I expected seam and swing in England but on tracks like these only discipline helps: Akash Deep
While defending totals of 350 or more in 59 Tests, India have won 42, with their sole defeat coming against England at Edgbaston in 2022.
Pant also matched India's veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane, who was the last vice-captain to smash a century in each innings, doing so against South Africa in New Delhi, in 2015.
