England coach Brendon McCullum warned that if the pitch indeed favours the spinners, England would not be afraid to field an all-spin attack.
England skipper Ben Stokes on Wednesday expressed relief after young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed's visa issue was sorted in quick time due to the intervention of the Indian government and the BCCI.
Washington Sundar's double strike pegged England back in the afternoon session, leaving them struggling 175/6 at tea on Day 4 of the third Test, at Lord's.
India will ponder whether they want to include Washington Sundar, who is quite handy with the bat or Kuldeep Yadav, who is a much better wicket-taking option.
Yashasvi Jaiswal joined the legendary Sunil Gavaskar as the only two Indian batters to score more than 700 runs in a bilateral Test series.
Each of India's top five batters, including debutant Devdutt Padikkal, managed 50-plus scores to power the hosts to a commanding 473-8 for a lead of 255.
Opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal on Saturday became only the fifth Indian to score 600 or more runs in a Test series, during the second day's play of the fourth match against England in Ranchi.
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.
IMAGES from the third Test between England and Sri Lanka at The Oval on Saturday
'It's always frustrating to miss out. I've got some good things to focus on, so even though I'm not playing I've got a goal in mind.'
The lack of multiple entry India visa had delayed Rehan Ahmed's exit from the airport after England arrived in Rajkot for the third Test on Monday.
Since embracing Bazball, England are yet to lose a Test series, while India remain unbeaten at home since 2012-13.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 1st Test between England and India at Headingley in Leeds on Monday.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between England and the West Indies, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Friday.
'It's always disappointing being on the losing team. Looking back at when we had our chance to bat yesterday, cricket is always skill against skill.'
Jamie Smith smashed a counter-attacking 89 before England's bowlers made early inroads into the Pakistan line-up to drag the touring side back into the deciding third and final Test.
With Stokes and Brendon McCullum at the helm, Ahmed cuts a relaxed figure.
'We felt like we had a lot of different wicket-taking opportunities. The odd ball was staying low, we got the ball reversing a little bit, and got the odd ball to spin as well. It's never an easy position.'
Captain Shan Masood smashed 153 and forged a 253-run partnership with fellow centurion Abdullah Shafique as Pakistan dominated Day 1 of the first Test against England on Monday.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the third Test match between England and India at Lord's, London, on Friday.
Boycott said that Anderson deserves all the adulation but owing to his age, he is being used too less.
Head coach Brendon McCullum revealed that pacer Ollie Robinson suffered an injury while batting during the visitors' first inning.
Gill's magnificence. Siraj and Akash's brilliance. Jadeja's class. Jaiswal and Rahul's success. Stokes' toss blunder. Root's failures.
Depleted India out to gatecrash Ben Stokes's 100th Test party
England captain Ben Stokes tried hard to be self-effacing on the eve of his 100th Test appearance, saying "milestones are what they are" but he is looking forward to the "theatre" that would come with playing the marquee game against a star-studded India.
Indian batters are not known for their sweeping skills but they made a conscious effort to practise that shot in their opening net session ahead of the second Test against England beginning in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
PHOTOS from Day 1 of the third and final Test between England and the West Indies at Edgbaston on Friday.
Root is not the only England batter to have impressed Vaughan in recent times, with the exploits of young gun Harry Brook also catching the eye of the respected commentator and Ashes-winning skipper.
Bairstow is the only English batter yet to play a significant knock in the Test series against India.
England head coach Brendon McCullum said they will have to do some deep thinking about their approach after being "exposed" in the final four matches in India but is convinced their first series defeat under his watch will make them a better side.
Brook's innings was by no means chanceless -- Tom Latham and Tim Southee both missed one good chance to take a thick edge in the slips -- but he rode his luck to bring up his 10th Test half century with a six.
Images from Day 3 of the fifth and final Test between India and England in Dharamsala on Saturday.
Saud Shakeel missed out on a hundred but Salman Agha smashed a brisk 79 not out to propel Pakistan to a commanding 515 for eight at tea on the second day of the contest on Tuesday.
Senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's five-wicket haul in the second innings has helped him narrow the gap with top-ranked Jasprit Bumrah to 21 rating points at 846 after the fast bowler was rested for the Ranchi Test.
'I don't know, I've never seen something like that before, so I have no idea.'
'The hardest place to play in the world is India.'
Kuldeep Yadav wrecked England's top order and fellow spinner Ravichandran Ashwin polished off the tail to bundle out England in just over two sessions.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the first Test between England and the West Indies, at Lord's, London, on Thursday.
England lose Duckett chasing 399 against India
For the 'Bazball' inspired England, the win in Hyderabad has become a distant memory and a repeat of 2021 looks likely when India bounced back to win the four-Test series 3-1.
