England's hard-earned Test series wins over the summer with a blend of youth and experience show the side's drive to be the number one team in the world, according to captain Joe Root. England beat the West Indies 2-1 and Pakistan 1-0 in a rain-hit series which, coupled with their success in South Africa at the start of the year, continue an upward trajectory with new players in the team.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 3rd and final Test played between England and Pakistan played at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.
The four-match series will mark England's first away games in the ICC World Test Championship.
The competition at the top promises to gain momentum as World No 2 Ben Stokes has also made huge gains to attain a career-best tally of 431 points, narrowing the lead from 66 to 54 points.
Former captain Geoffrey Boycott slammed the England batsmen for showing lack of patience and technique in the rain-hit first Test against India, which finished in a draw.
Silverwood also said that opener Haseeb Hameed is making a "very strong case" for a Test recall.
England's batting coach Marcus Trescothick was all praise for India's pacers after they shot out the home team for 183 on the opening day of the first Test, in Nottingham, on Wednesday.
All-rounder Ben Stokes returns to England's squad for the first two Tests against India next month after he missed the two-match series against New Zealand in June following a finger injury he sustained during the Indian Premier League earlier this year.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes revealed that he and his teammates endured sudden weight loss during the fourth and final Test against India in Ahmedabad after a stomach illness hit the tourists before the match.
Ben Stokes survived several scares but featured in a 76-run late afternoon partnership with Ollie Pope as England reached 224 for four wickets at close on the opening day of the third Test against South Africa on Thursday.
India's spin duo of Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc, taking all 10 wickets between them.
Usman Khawaja scored his second century of the match to help Australia to 265 for six declared on the fourth day of the fourth Ashes Test on Saturday, handing England an unlikely victory target of 388.
India will welcome back regular skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the last three Tests in Australia to attend the birth of his daughter.
With pacer Jofra Archer, opener Rory Burns and star all-rounder Ben Stokes back in the England squad, the visitors are likely to have some competition for spots in the team for the 1st Test against India.
Images from Day 2 of the third Ashes Test on Friday.
Despite the chastening defeat, Root said they were still in the series.
'I don't think I have ever been a part of such a Test match where things have happened so quickly.'
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James Anderson claimed his fifth wicket as England enforced the follow-on against Pakistan on the third day of the third and final Test at the Rose Bowl on Sunday, despite a battling century by visiting skipper Azhar Ali.
It will also be a milestone in the career of England's talisman Ben Stokes as he captains the side for the first time.
Usman Khawaja celebrated his recall to the Test arena after two years in the wilderness with a stylish 137 to drive Australia to a declaration on 416 for eight shortly before the close of play on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test on Thursday.
England's batting once again disappointed against Australia on Day 2 of the third Test
Pakistan left England with their heads held high after their last two tours, drawing both, most recently under Misbah in 2018.
South Africa's Anrich Nortje took the vital wickets of captain Joe Root and talisman Ben Stokes as England struggled to 262 for nine at stumps on the first day of the second Test on Friday. Pace bowler Nortje, playing his fourth Test, finished with 2-54 off 17 overs as the home side restricted the tourists on a Newlands wicket that was expected to be full of runs. Images from the opening day of the second Test at Newlands on Friday.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell reckons India will start as favourites in the Test series against England owing to a quality pace attack with plenty of depth and a top order that is more consistent than the visitors'.
Since 2011, England have managed to eke out just a single draw in 13 Ashes Tests over three tours and their last two Tests in Sydney have resulted in humiliating defeats.
Usman Khawaja will replace Travis Head in Australia's middle order for this week's fourth Ashes Test against England in the only change to the side that wrapped up the series in Melbourne last week.
England have lost the away series in India 1-3 before suffering a 1-0 defeat against New Zealand earlier this month.
Ollie Pope scored an unbeaten 91 and Jos Buttler contributed a half century as England took advantage of a tired West Indies attack to move to 258 for four on Friday when bad light brought play to a premature end on the opening day of the final Test in Manchester.
'You have to be careful how you use an advantage because, with Root not being there, you have some youngster who wants to make a name for himself.'
The Motera pitch came in for sharp criticism from some former players after England were bowled out for 112 and 81 in the two innings as India crushed them by 10 wickets to grab a 2-1 lead
England on Thursday suffered an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat in the third Test against India on a spin-friendly Motera track to go down 1-2 in the four-match series and the result garnered varied reactions from the British media.
'I think there's going to be a very interesting story that's going to run through this series -- Kohli comes back as captain after Ajinkya Rahane was so good in Australia'
Images from Day 3 of the fourth Test between India and England, at the Narendra Modi stadium, in Motera, Ahmedabad.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Test played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Team combination a worry for India
India captain Virat Kohli said poor batting and not the pitch was responsible for the day-night third Test against England winding up inside two days, and described the performance of batsmen on both sides as "bizarre".
IMAGES from the first Test between England and West Indies played at the Rose Bowl Cricket Stadium, Southampton on Thursday
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