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.
Joe Root was on 36 and digging in when Mohammed Siraj angled one in that rapped him square on the pads. The Indians went up in unison. But umpire Paul Reiffel stood his ground.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna relished the banter with 'good mate' Joe Root on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test, and said riling up England's batting mainstay was part of the team's plans.
Injured wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will bat on day five of the fourth Test, said India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Saturday.
A 2-2 series result seems fair, for a 1-3 loss would have been cruelly unjust --- especially to Siraj, who bowled 185.3 overs in the series for 23 wickets and never seemed to give up belief.
'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.'
India skipper Shubman Gill on Wednesday said that levelling the five-match Test series in England would be a "great achievement" and he would return from his first assignment as captain a lot wiser.
'I wouldn't bowl to him (Gill) in England, that's for sure.'
'Bring the deficit down to about 60 and then take it 10 runs at a time.'
It was a dramatic end to day three of the third Test with opener Zak Crawley using the delaying tactic to ensure England only played one over
Ben Stokes acknowledged that missed opportunities early in the match allowed India to take firm control of the second Test at Edgbaston
After hundreds upon hundreds of runs on flat tracks in the ongoing series so far, it took the green top at The Oval to finally produce the best day of the Indian summer, on the fifth and last Friday of the Test series.
Jaiswal Blazes, Gill Leads: India's Young Guns Dominate Opening Day
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.
'The name on the Honours board feels good. It is something I can tell my son about when he is grown up.'
Jasprit Bumrah takes a fifer at Lord's and goes past Kapil Dev for most five wicket hauls in away Tests.
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.
Opener K L Rahul expressed disappointment as India failed to gain a lead against England on Day 3 of the third Test of the five-match series at 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, on Saturday.
There is less seam movement at Edgbaston compared to Leeds: Jaiswal
'It felt like you had to force the ball through, which in England were are not used to -- you usually get rewards for your cuts and clips.'
Shubman Gill walked out at Edgbaston with questions swirling around his captaincy - and answered them with his bat
I would hope that India stick by him, at least another couple of games, just to give him a run at No.3, feels former England captain Michael Vaughan.
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.
Images from Day 5 of the third Test between England and India at Lord's on Monday.
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 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.
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.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain was full of praise for Akash Deep
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.
Pant's effort earned accolades from Tendulkar, who lauded the wicketkeeper-batter's paddle sweep.
It's unbelievable because I was waiting for a long time: Siraj on his six-wicket haul
Shubman Gill on Sunday criticised the rapidly deteriorating quality of the Dukes ball and expressed his dissatisfaction with the trend of flat pitches
Nitish Kumar Reddy made a promise to himself post the Australia tour that he would improve his bowling.
'The more you bat in England, the better it is because you never feel you are set in England.'
Akash Deep dedicated his stellar performance in the second Test to his sister, who has been battling cancer for the past two months.
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.
'If you get to the point where you can draw the game, of course, we're not stupid enough to think that you have to just win or lose.'
Woakes was angry that Jadeja again ran on the danger area. Jadeja pointed out saying he was on one side. Stokes was not happy, he walked up to the spot and stood there.
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.
In summary, excluding the inactive innings, his recent conversion record reads rather poor with no half-centuries since his eminent legendary debut knock.
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