Managing a draw from the brink of defeat would give India a psychological edge over England in the fifth and final Test, said head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Having set the pace with emphatic back-to-back victories, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be eyeing a hat-trick of sorts against star-studded Mumbai Indians in the WPL match at home on Friday.
A look back at a few memorable showdowns in the last decade and half that had the quintessential crests and troughs of Test cricket.
'Look, when someone comes back into the Test side like he does after a lengthy absence, the pressure is always there, and I think he has handled that very well.'
Already assured of a place in the summit clash, favourites India had to sweat it out before defeating Poland 4-2 in the final round-robin match of the men's hockey Olympic Qualification tournament, in New Delhi on Friday.
India are favourites to secure victory and draw the series, but England will still fancy their chances of completing what would be by far the highest successful Test run chase at The Oval.
With England heading to Manchester's Old Trafford Stadium with a 2-1 lead, the hosts will be hoping that 'Big Match Stokes'-who has been exceptional and all guns blazing with the ball-shows up with the bat as well.
So far in the four matches of the ongoing five-match series against the Three Lions, India Test captain Shubman Gill has managed to score 722 runs in the eight innings at an average of 90.25.
It was a day where cricket wasn't just about the result, but about character, spirit, and moments that transcend rivalry -- a Lord's classic remembered not just for its edge-of-seat drama, but for its heart.
Jaiswal Blazes, Gill Leads: India's Young Guns Dominate Opening Day
Ben Stokes seemed to be struggling with problem with his groin on his right side late on the opening day.
In a lapse of concentration, Atkinson picked the ball and sent the timber rattling to have Gill run out on 21(35).
England's scoring rate of 2.91 runs per over during the second session was the second-slowest in a home Test in the Bazball era, only behind their 2.72 per over effort against New Zealand at Lord's in 2022.
Star Sports, the official broadcasters in India, tweeted a clip of Brook playing mind games with Krishna.
The openers have not given India the start they were looking for, the bowlers have not taken wickets in the opening overs...
Ravindra Jadeja continued his renaissance as a batter, delivering his best-ever outing during the recent Test series in England and joining a list of legends
Lord's venue promises to be a cracker of a contest, especially with another round in the ongoing rivalry between two modern legends - Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and England's star batter Joe Root.
Steely Jadeja completes 7,000 international runs, joins Ganguly, Dhoni, Pant.
Ganguly believes Iyer's transformation makes him a strong contender for a spot in all three formats of international cricket.
Jadeja was taking singles off fourth or fifth ball of each over, but Kumble felt that he could have taken some risk against a few slower bowlers.
From Ravindra Jadeja's stoic resistance to Jofra Archer's fire and the emotional collapse of Mohammed Siraj at the end, this was a Test for the ages - one that even veteran voices like Nasser Hussain hailed as the best in recent memory.
Dinesh Karthik and Nasser Hussain pointed to a string of missteps -- a dropped catch, a run out, a collapse -- that proved far more decisive than the final day's drama.
There is less seam movement at Edgbaston compared to Leeds: Jaiswal
As England and India gear up for the final Test of the fiercely fought five-match series starting at The Oval on Thursday, a number of individuals on either side will be on the cusp of major individual milestones.
Former all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri has thrown his weight behind young Washington Sundar to be a 'genuine all-rounder for many, many years for India'.
Shubman Gill walked out at Edgbaston with questions swirling around his captaincy - and answered them with his bat
England's right-handed batter Harry Brook has replaced his teammate Joe Root to reclaim the No. 1 Test batter's position in the world
IMAGES from Day 1 of the third Test match between England and India at Lord's, London, on Thursday.
'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.'
Washington Sundar's bold prediction that the visitors would seal the win 'probably in the first session' turned into a haunting soundbite, as England staged a spirited comeback to snatch a 22-run victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.
With players preferring to rest ahead of IPL 2025, the BCCI did not plan a felicitation for the Indian team.
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
Tilak Varma begins County stint with sizzling century for Hampshire against Essex
Bumrah was speaking about tackling with judgment when the funny moment took place.
Trent Boult is relishing facing World Cup hosts India on Sunday as the tournament's only remaining unbeaten teams go head-to-head in Dharamshala.
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.
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.
South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten double century to set a record for a new Test skipper and help his side to a formidable 465 for four wickets on the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Lord's has a tradition of rewarding those who give their best, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men's Test Batting Rankings after his stellar efforts helped England secure a 22-run victory over India at Lord's, according to the official website of the ICC.
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