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.
'...he's not shown any obvious signs of dismissal and he's played stylishly.'
Selected at number three ahead of the burgeoning talent of Jacob Bethell, who averaged 52 on his first Test tour of New Zealand, Pope settled after early scares to compile his ninth Test century.
Images from Day 4 of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, London, on Sunday.
Siraj, Krishna, Akash Shine as India's Pace Future Takes Shape
The temperatures in Leeds are expected to hover between 15 to 21C which is not ideal for batting, especially under cloudy skies and breezy conditions.
Post-lunch, Pant brought up his half-century with a single before launching his third maximum, cementing his reputation as one of the game's most fearless stroke-makers in red-ball cricket.
After India captain Shubman Gill had scored another masterful century at Edgbaston, India fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj blew away England's top order.
"If anyone doubted he was ever a team man, they got to see it first-hand today. That requires more than just steel," Shastri said in a video posted by the BCCI on its website.
'Ideally we would have wanted about 40 runs more'.
ndia will be very happy after a technical masterpiece from Rahul and the flamboyance and exuberance that you can imagine from Pant
The India vs England Test series 2025 wasn't just cricket -- it was grit, growth and glory wrapped in whites.
Former England skipper Alastair Cook backed Ollie Pope to retain the No. 3 spot in the batting line-up ahead of Jacob Bethell during the upcoming five-match Test series against India.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was "disappointed" on missing a century by a whisker, but amazed by Test captain Shubman Gill's "incredible" effort that powered India to a comfortable position at the end of the opening day of the second Test against England, at Edgbaston, on Wednesday.
'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.'
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.
While defending totals of 350 or more in 59 Tests, India have won 42, with their sole defeat coming against England at Edgbaston in 2022.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 1st Test between England and India at Headingley in Leeds on Monday.
As Team India gear up for the much-anticipated Test series against England starting on Friday, several players in the squad will draw confidence from their county cricket experience.
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the first Test against England?
India's experienced opener KL Rahul expressed admiration for vice-captain Rishabh Pant and his dream to replicate the dynamic southpaw's play style following their record-breaking exploits on Day 3 of the third Test against England at Lord's.
India equal England's first-innings score of 387 with Test in balance
The five-match Test series against India at home will be a massive Test for England's 'Bazball' brand of cricket under skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
'His hands are quite sore. We want to get his confidence back up.'
England head coach Brendon McCullum believes India have arrived well-prepared and full of belief for the upcoming five-match Test series
India finished Day 3 on 90/2 to lead England by 96 runs at stumps in the opening Test on Sunday after England were dismissed for 465 in the first innings.
He has taken nine five-wicket hauls in SENA conditions.
An injury-plagued India could be forced to depart from their preferred template when they takes on a reinvigorated England in the fourth Test starting in Manchester on Wednesday.
The five-match Test series against India at home is a massive test for England's 'Bazball' brand of cricket under skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the fifth Test against England?
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Test between England and India at Headingley in Leeds on Saturday.
Beleaguered India seamer Prasidh Krishna has taken "complete responsibility" for his failure to hit the right lengths during a forgettable outing in the first Test against England, but said he was always trying to make it difficult for the English batters to score freely.
England have named two uncapped players in Essex duo Sam Cook and Jordan Cox in the squad for the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge later this month.
After sending a strong message in response to his critics before the squad announcement for the India series, Pope assured that he knows where he stands in the "hierarchy".
McLaren's Formula One leader Lando Norris called himself an idiot after crashing in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday, and he stuck by the self-criticism when talking to reporters afterwards.
India's batting faltered under pressure as they suffered a 22-run defeat in the third Test against England, 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.
K L Rahul drove his way to a sublime 47 after England negated India's advantage by totalling 465 in their first innings as the visitors had another ordinary day in the field on Day 3 of the first Test in Leeds on Sunday.
Michael Bracewell, who was one of the main performers for New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, will lead the side in the absence of Mitchell Santner.
World champion Max Verstappen put Red Bull on pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in dramatic style on Saturday.