'The quality of Bumrah is exceptional. What he has been able to do is just unbelievable so far'
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak explained the team's rationale behind playing an all-rounder at No 8 rather than fielding a specialist bowler.
'There's always some calculated thinking behind it.'
Handed the reins of a depleted Indian side in his maiden stint as Test captain, the 24-year-old has been tasked with breaking a 17-year drought without the experience of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli by his side.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has offered his thoughts to solve India's selection dilemma ahead of the fourth Test against England in Manchester, scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
Gavaskar didn't mince words as he tore into India's sub-par work in the field, both in terms of dropped chances and overall outfielding.
Broken foot, unbroken in spirit: Pant gives update
During the second day of the Test at Mount Maunganui, Rachin registered the highest score by a maiden century-maker in the history of New Zealand 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.
Former England captain Michael Atherton suggested India could include three spinners for the must-win fourth Test against England at Manchester, starting on July 23.
As India head into a series-deciding fifth Test, questions over Gambhir's tactics and temperament are growing louder.
Legendary cricketer Kapil Dev on Saturday said the England series will serve as a valuable learning experience for young India skipper Shubman Gill and urged critics to give him some time to grow into the leadership role.
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.
There is Ravindra Jadeja, whose superior batting becomes a huge factor in SENA countries but against England's 'Bazballers', Kuldeep Yadav's versatility could complement pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah better if India harbour any hopes of picking 20 wickets.
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 25-year-old captain struck 13 fours and eight sixes to make 161 off 162 balls, following up his first-innings' 269 to become only the second Indian after legendary Sunil Gavaskar to have scored a double century and a ton in a Test.
Atkinson, who is playing his first Test of the series following a hamstring strain, said that he is "ready to push the limits" in case Woakes does not take any further part.
'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.'
'...If Shubman Gill had that kind of a fiery side to him, we would have seen it a little earlier. You don't have to show it when you're the captain.
Manjrekar pulled no punches, singling out Ravindra Jadeja for failing to exploit the Day 5.
India equal England's first-innings score of 387 with Test in balance
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.
Shubman Gill was extremely consistent with thought process, respected good balls: Sachin Tendulkar
England captain Ben Stokes broke his own record for the most overs bowled by himself during a Test series.
Pictures of the meet were splashed across social media as Indian captain Shubman Gill looked like a happy chappy meeting United captain Bruno Fernandes.
With two days still to play, England are firm favourites to secure the win in Manchester, one that would seal victory in the five-match series with one test still to come.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for penalising only England for slow over rates during the third Test against India at the Home of Cricket, Lord's.
As India gear up for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, former captain Ajinkya Rahane has raised a tactical alarm: the team's all-rounder-heavy approach might be hurting their chances.
The ground brought sanity to the wild, soaring numbers for the batters in the series. The wicket had grass, and it made the batters struggle.
Even as the conditions changed, bright sunshine alternating with gloom, the Indian batters gritted their teeth and fought it out.
Ganguly said had the top-order batter applied a bit better, the result would have ben different.
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.
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.
After hundreds upon hundreds of runs on flat tracks in the ongoing series so far, it took the green top at The Oval to finally produce the best day of the Indian summer, on the fifth and last Friday of the Test series.
India's historic first-ever Test win at Edgbaston by a massive 336 runs after losing the first Test was a triumph of Grit, Resilience, Excellence, Aggressiveness, and Tactfulness, a truly GREAT performance that will be remembered for years, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
Images from Day 4 of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, London, on Sunday.
'I had specific plans coming into this Test, and Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) helped me shape and refine them in the lead-up.'
Akash Deep's 10-wicket match-haul sets up famous win for India in the second Test against England at Edgbaston.
India may have made tactical errors, but former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes the bigger culprit was the weather.
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