Reverse swing was a huge factor, said veteran fast bowler James Anderson, who used it to deadly effect in England's 227-run demolition of India in the first Test, in Chennai, on Tuesday.
India face an embarrassing defeat after Alastair Cook's fairytale farewell knock and Joe Root's classy hundred enabled England to pile more misery on the visitors on Monday, the penultimate day of the fifth Test.
India will welcome back regular skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the last three Tests in Australia to attend the birth of his daughter.
Pakistan's spinners handed their team a 2-0 series victory after ripping through England's batting line-up on the fifth day of the third and final Test at Sharjah on Thursday.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah took five wickets to help Pakistan crush England by 10 wickets in the final Test at The Oval on Sunday and level a fluctuating series 2-2.
Azhar Ali's patient century lifted Pakistan to 257 for three and a dominant position on the second day of the third Test against England at Edgbaston on Thursday. Replying to the home team's 297 all out, Azhar shared a second-wicket partnership of 181 with Sami Aslam on the way to an excellent knock of 139 as England endured a frustrating day in the field.
Images from Day 5 of the 4th Ashes Test played at the MCG on Saturday
The four-match series will mark England's first away games in the ICC World Test Championship.
Ahead of the first Test between India and England in Rajkot, Rajneesh Gupta looks at the two teams and their numbers.
The match officials decided to take an early lunch, moving the scheduled break ahead by 30 minutes. Even after lunch, there was no respite from the rain and it went on throughout the afternoon.
England fast bowler James Anderson took five wickets to inspire the hosts to a crushing victory over Sri Lanka by an innings and 88 runs in the first Test in Leeds on Saturday.
A resurgent England attack tore through Australia's batting lineup with six wickets in the final session to leave the hosts reeling at 164 for nine at the close of the second day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday.
Rain held up England's progress after Alastair Cook scored a superb 243 on the second day of the first Test against West Indies at Edgbaston on Friday.
Rajneesh Gupta gives us all the numbers that matter from Day 1 of the fourth Test between England and India at The Oval, on Thursday, September 2, 2021.
Pat Cummins took a five-wicket haul in a dream start to his Australia captaincy as England were skittled for 147 by tea at the Gabba before rain brought the opening day of the Ashes to an early close.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 3rd Test played between England and Pakistan at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Monday.
"A rock-star, a match winner, a great junior and a very good friend of mine," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
Pakistan opener Abid Ali scored a half-century but England's seam bowlers used the muggy conditions to their advantage to restrict the tourists to 126 for five at the close of a rain-hit opening day of the second Test at the Rose Bowl on Thursday.
The halcyon days of those thrilling 1980s and early 1990s teams, when Curtly Ambrose and his fellow pace demons inspired fear and batting blasters like Viv Richards looked so imperious on English tours, have never felt more like pre-history.
In the final, Gambhir had played a match-winning knock of 75 runs off just 54 balls.
South African pace bowler Dale Steyn has revealed that he would be continuing to use his 'secret weapon' of variation in his delivery stride and bowling action in the upcoming series against Australia.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara hit centuries and shared a stand of 209 to lead India to 319-4 in their first innings on the third day of the opening Test in Rajkot, on Friday, trailing England by 218 runs.
Images from Day 5 of the second Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Tuesday.
India 21 for no loss at stumps on Day 1 after bowling out England for 183 in the first Test, in Nottingham, on Wednesday.
Who do you think should be part of England's playing XI for the first Test?
Ben Stokes is poised to lead the team in the first Test against West Indies on July 8 with captain Joe Root likely to miss the game to attend the birth of his second child.
Tendulkar also felt that Leach doesn't vary his pace a lot which will be required on tracks offer turn.
A century partnership between Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood led West Indies to a five-wicket victory over England in the third Test on an awkward Barbados wicket as the series ended at 1-1 on Sunday.
As fanciful a scenario as it may seem but Kevin Pietersen says he could yet be open to the idea of coming out of retirement to play for England again if ECB boss Giles Clarke exits the scene.
A fired-up Mitchell Johnson dismissed England captain Alastair Cook cheaply in a hammer blow for the tourists after Australia declared for a mammoth first innings of 570 to be firmly in control after day two of the second Ashes Test on Friday.
Former Australia skipper Greg Chappell has said that the saliva ban will not favour batsmen as much as people are expecting it too.
A magnificent partnership between Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler helped propel England to an unlikely three-wicket victory over Pakistan in a topsy-turvy first Test at Old Trafford on Saturday. Images from Day 4 of the first Test between England and Pakistan in Manchester on Saturday.
England batsman Kevin Pietersen has reportedly slammed reports that team director and head coach Andy Flower was so fed up with the enigmatic batsman's attitude that he had issued a 'KP or him' ultimatum to selectors.
Virat Kohli is the quickest among all subcontinent players to score 1,000 runs in Australia. Rajneesh Gupta has all the numbers.
Joe Root's unbeaten 149 put England in complete control of the final Test against India and they picked up the wickets of openers Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir before lunch on the third day on Sunday.
England reclaimed the Ashes urn after hammering Australia by an innings and ... runs when the tourists were bowled out for ... on Day 3 of the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Saturday.
'In cold weather conditions, when you are not sweating at all, how do you use sweat?'
England extended their first-innings lead to 85 runs before heavy rain halted their progress before tea on the second day of the fourth Test against India on Friday.
Adil Rashid and Ben Stokes scripted a spectacular turnaround to earn England a handy first-innings lead after skittling out Sri Lanka for 240 on day two of the third and final Test on Saturday.
Chris Woakes and rookie pacer Olly Stone will be vying for a final spot in the playing eleven.
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