India

Ashwin’s bombshell withdrawal from the Test the previous evening because of a family emergency meant India could only replace their premier spinner with a substitute fielder, depleting their bowling.

But they found their guests in obliging mood as Root’s patented reverse ramp off Jasprit Bumrah was brilliantly caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal, and a position of 224 for two became 319 all out.

Root was far from alone from contributing to his own demise, with Ben Duckett (153) and Ben Stokes (41) also guilty of loose strokes, as England surrendered a 126-run first-innings deficit before India swelled their advantage to 170 after going to tea on 44 for one.

Root partly atoned by making the breakthrough when India batted again, dismissing Rohit Sharma lbw when the home side’s captain missed a sweep. Umpire Joel Wilson’s not out decision was overturned but England still have a lot of work to do in the final session to swing back a bit of momentum.

The tourists’ profligacy drew parallels with last year’s Lord’s Ashes Test, where England were on 188 for one in reply to 416, with Australia minus spinner Nathan Lyon due to injury, before a succession of rash shots saw them skittled for 325.

England’s attacking brand under Stokes and Brendon McCullum is well-known but the match situation did not require a bold gambit from Root at the outset of a day where conditions grew increasingly sapping.

Duckett’s swaggering century had carried England to 207 for two from just 35 overs and, seeking to stay on the front foot, Root’s attempt to up the ante merely flew to second slip where Jaiswal held on excellently.

Root, who dropped Rohit Sharma in India’s first innings which cost 104 runs, was out for 18 which means he has failed to pass 30 in five innings in this series.

Root’s dismissal was put into harsher context when Jonny Bairstow was plumb lbw after Kuldeep Yadav found sharp turn. It was the Yorkshireman’s eighth duck against India and no other batter in history has made more.

Duckett lacked the fluency that had brought him an 88-ball hundred the previous evening but still moved to 150. However, he added just three off his next 12 deliveries which might explain why a batter so accustomed to feeling bat on ball chased a long hop from Yadav and toe-ended to cover.

Stokes, in his 100th Test, and Ben Foakes came through an exacting period, especially from Kuldeep, who bowled 12 overs unchanged with Ravindra Jadeja curiously unused until just before lunch.

Stokes was judicious off front and back foot and looked primed to mark his milestone Test in fashion but was suckered into a slog sweep off Jadeja, with Bumrah running back to take the catch.

Foakes fell for 13 next ball after pushing at Mohammed Siraj, albeit the ball sticking in the pitch a little, with those two dismissals the start of England losing their last five wickets in 38 balls and their final three in nine. Siraj bounced back from his mauling off Duckett to take four for 84.

The hosts were facing a record chase of 368, with 291 remaining by the close of play on day four, but succumbed to their first defeat at The Oval against India since 1971 after a collapse of six wickets for 47 runs left them teetering.

Umesh Yadav sealed the win but Shardul Thakur's two wickets proved key – the first of Rory Burns and second of the in-form Joe Root – while Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah both impressed for their two wickets.

After adding 77 without loss on Sunday, Burns brought up the 100-opening stand with Haseeb Hameed and his own half-century, the first time England's openers have reached the landmark in the fourth innings since October 2016.

However, Thakur removed Burns with the next ball caught behind and, after surviving an lbw scare from Jadeja on five, Dawid Malan was run out by substitute Mayank Agarwal.

Hameed – dropped on 55 by Mohammed Siraj – survived until lunch, only to be bowled by Jadeja for 63 before Bumrah became the quickest Indian pacer to 100 Test wickets by dismissing Ollie Pope.

Bumrah's crushing inswinging yorker accounted for Jonny Bairstow and after Jadeja had Moeen Ali caught at short leg for a duck, England were reeling at 147-6.

Root (36) offered resistance but England's captain chopped on to Thakur, with Woakes (18) following.

Craig Overton (10) was dropped on three by Ajinkya Rahane and overturned an lbw decision, but his charmed life ended when Yadav broke through his defences.

Ollie Robinson and James Anderson faced an impossible task, with the latter caught behind off Yadav to wrap up the game.

Brilliant Bumrah

Kapil Dev (25 matches) was the previous fastest Indian quick to reach 100 wickets but Bumrah achieved the feat in his 24th outing.

England are the 27-year-old's favourite Test opponents, with Bumrah taking 36 wickets at an average of 24.08, while striking 18 times in this series – only Robinson (21) has produced more wickets.

England no longer invincible at The Oval

The hosts had lost only one of their last 13 Tests against India at The Oval before Monday (W5, D7), their last loss coming in August 1971 by four wickets.

England had also won three of the last such fixtures, though this defeat has left them facing three consecutive Test series losses if they cannot triumph in the final meeting in Manchester.

Rehan Ahmed remains in limbo in India although England are certain the teenage leg-spinner’s visa problem will be sorted out on Wednesday ahead of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ahmed’s single-entrance visa expired the moment he left for England’s mid-series break in the United Arab Emirates and the 19-year-old was initially red-flagged upon the team’s return to India on Monday.

England captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum waited with Ahmed at Hirasar Rajkot Airport as an emergency two-day visa was granted before the trio got to the team hotel separately to the group.

Ahmed trained with his team-mates at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday morning and – while there is yet to be a resolution -, England seem convinced the issuing of a new visa is a formality.

“It’s not a concern,” Stokes said. “The guys who dealt with it at the airport did a really good job, given where we found ourselves. I’m confident that will be sorted.”

It is unclear whether the issue will hinder Ahmed’s chances as he tries to retain his England spot when the series, which is currently deadlocked at 1-1 after two gripping instalments, resumes on Thursday.

But it has occurred just a couple of weeks after off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was forced to miss the first Test in Hyderabad because of a paperwork snag as his Pakistani heritage led to extended checks.

Ahmed, like Bashir, was born in the UK and is of Pakistani heritage but this is a separate matter owing to an oversight on the part of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Ahmed was already in possession of an Indian visa after being placed on standby for England’s 50-over World Cup campaign in October and November but it was not activated then because he was not required to travel.

England’s players travel on electronic visas which are not stamped in passports so the situation with Ahmed only came to light in Rajkot following England’s six-day breather in Abu Dhabi.

Ahmed – who is England’s youngest cricketer in all three formats – has taken eight wickets in the series at a respectable average of 36.37 so far and also contributed 70 runs, including a cameo 23 after being bumped up to number three in the batting order as the so-called ‘nighthawk’ in the second Test.

England’s spin options have already been hard hit by Jack Leach’s series-ending knee injury, leaving Ahmed, Bashir and Tom Hartley as the three specialist spinners, boasting six Test caps between them, with Joe Root’s part-time off-breaks becoming increasingly called upon.

“We were advised, on returning to India, that there was paperwork discrepancy with Rehan Ahmed’s visa,” an England team spokesperson said.

“The local authorities at Rajkot Airport were supportive, enabling Rehan entry on a temporary visa. The correct visa should be processed and issued in the coming days.

“He will continue to prepare with the rest of the squad ahead of the third Test.”

Bashir, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, was ruled out of contention for a Test debut in Hyderabad on Thursday due to delays with his application.

The 20-year-old was ultimately forced to fly home from Abu Dhabi, where England held a pre-series training camp, after his team-mates travelled on to India.

Stokes’ instant reaction when he found out the Somerset spinner had become the latest player of Pakistani descent to experience hold-ups entering India was for the squad to remain with him in a show of solidarity.

The notion did not last long, with the tight turn around effectively meaning the game would have to be postponed, but reflected Stokes’ clear disgruntlement at the treatment of a young colleague.

“When I first found the news out in Abu Dhabi, I did say we shouldn’t fly until Bash gets his visa but that was a little bit tongue in cheek,” he said at his pre-match press conference.

“I know it’s a way bigger thing, doing that. That was probably just (my) emotions around the whole thing. There was never a chance that we were not going to travel around this but Bash knows he’s had our full support.

“I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this. As a leader, as a captain, when one of your team-mates is affected by something like that you do get a bit emotional.

“I know he’s back in London and a lot of people are jumping through hoops to try and get this through quicker. Hopefully we’re going to see him here over the weekend.”

India captain Rohit Sharma expressed sympathy for Bashir, who has been thrust into the spotlight and compelled to fly almost 10,000 additional miles to secure the paperwork other players received as a matter of course.

“I feel for him honestly,” said Sharma.

“Unfortunately I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that but hopefully he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and plays some cricket as well.

“It’s not easy for anyone, it could be one of our guys wanting to come to England and being denied.”

Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood, whose parents hail from Pakistan, had to be withdrawn from an England Lions tour of India in 2019 after similar delays, while Australia opener Usman Khawaja was a late arrival on his country’s Test trip in 2023.

Moreover, the Pakistan Cricket Board wrote to the International Cricket Council late last year due to express concerns over waiting times for World Cup visas.

England had called for assistance from counterparts at the Board of Control for Cricket in India, with new operations manager Stuart Hooper leading negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, but were informed that Bashir needed to present his passport in person at the Indian high commission in London.

The tourists were bamboozled by spin to lose the Test series but found a pitch much more to their liking at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a venue where they twice suffered heavy defeats to go down 3-1 in the longest format.

Jofra Archer led the way with figures of 3-23 as India – who host the ICC T20 World Cup later this year – were restricted to 124-7 after being put in by visiting captain Eoin Morgan.

England had no such problems in their reply, Jason Roy smashing 49 off 32 deliveries to help wrap up victory with 27 balls to spare. 

Jos Buttler contributed 28 in an opening partnership worth 72 with Roy, who hit three sixes before being trapped lbw by Washington Sundar, one of three frontline spinners selected by the hosts for the opener in a five-match series. 

By contrast, England fielded a solitary slow bowler in their XI. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid (1-14) claimed the prized scalp of Virat Kohli for a duck having opened the bowling in a T20 at international level for the first time. 

Archer and Mark Wood (1-20) also struck early blows as India limped along to 22-3 by the end of the batting powerplay. Shreyas Iyer led a recovery of sorts, top-scoring with 67, but their final total never appeared enough at the halfway point. 

Rishabh Pant (21) thrilled the crowd with an outrageous reverse sweep off Archer that went for six, yet could only pick out Jonny Bairstow when he flicked a full delivery from Ben Stokes into the deep. 

Iyer and Hardik Pandya (19) shared a half-century stand having come together at 48-4, only for the latter to become the first of two wickets in as many deliveries from the excellent Archer. 

England made sure there were no complications in the chase with a powerplay onslaught from their openers, allowing Dawid Malan and Bairstow to ease them to their paltry target, the duo finishing unbeaten on 24 and 26 not out respectively. 

Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed chipped away at the target of 368, reaching 31 and 43 respectively, as England advanced to 77-0 at stumps.

Armed with a 99-run first-innings lead, England's hopes of establishing a lead in this series were dealt a huge blow after India totted up 466 batting second time around.

However, there remains the possibility of a famous home victory. Should England pull this off, they will take a 2-1 lead heading to the final Test at Old Trafford, but they would have to beat the highest total ever posted by a team winning against India from a fourth-innings chase.

That is currently the 342-8 achieved by Australia in 1977 at Perth. Tony Mann hit a century for Australia in that win and England need at least one batsman to step up and make a big score to anchor this innings.

There were positive signs as openers Burns and Hameed put on a half-century partnership, with Haseeb surviving a late lbw appeal as India used up a review, but England are still 291 short.

Earlier on day four, Rishabh Pant made 50, ending a run of three single-figure scores. Shardul Thakur plundered his second half-century of this match, adding 60 to his first-innings 57, prospering with the bat in the fourth Test match of his career and second of this tour.

Pant rode his luck, with England blowing a glorious chance to run him out when he was on 37. Pant set off for a run before scampering back, and Moeen Ali had the first chance to throw down the stumps. He missed, and Hameed, backing up, fumbled the ball when Pant was still well short of his ground.

Home captain Joe Root broke up a partnership of 100 when he had Thakur caught by Craig Overton at slip, and Moeen struck moments later to remove Pant when he took a sharp return chance off his own bowling as the India batsman looked to go over the top.

India were eight down, but their lead was 315, and the runs kept coming, Umesh Yadav flogging Moeen for a brazen six over cow corner, before hoiking a delivery Woakes over the ropes too. His 25 from 23 balls, plus 24 from Jasprit Bumrah, left England staring at their daunting target.

BURNS SEES OFF DUCK DANGER

It has been a year of mixed fortunes at Test level for Burns, who has five ducks in 2021 on England duty. When he has got off the mark, however, it has often been a different story, with Burns, including this ongoing knock, making 460 at an average for those innings of 51.11.

HAMEED CAN COME OF AGE

There are Ashes places at stake, and the high-tension moments that await England on Monday can be considered comparable to those that may await in Australia. One-time boy wonder Hameed can book his place on the plane, surely, if he converts this strong start into something special. His Test best of 82 came almost five years ago, and to top that here would give England a terrific platform.

James Anderson has become the first fast bowler to reach 700 Test wickets.

The 41-year-old England seamer joins former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and the late Australia leg-break bowler Shane Warne to get to the milestone in his 187th Test.

Anderson moved to 699 on day two of the fifth Test against India in Dharamsala by bowling Shubman Gill through the gate and got to 700 on the third morning by removing lower-order batter Kuldeep Yadav.

With just his 10th delivery of the day, Anderson, who began his record-breaking Test career in May 2003, hung one outside off stump and Kuldeep obliged with the edge on the way through to Ben Foakes.

Anderson was mobbed by his team-mates before sheepishly raising the ball to the crowd in a typically understated celebration after ending a 49-run stand, with Kuldeep on his way for 30.

Shoaib Bashir struck to remove Jasprit Bumrah three balls later as India were all out for 477 and an ominous lead of 259, with England’s young off-spinner finishing with figures of five for 173.

Anderson began to lead England off the field but motioned for Bashir to go ahead of him after the 20-year-old’s second five-wicket haul in just his third Test.

But Bashir, who was not even born when Anderson started playing for England, smiled and edged towards Anderson as they walked off the field at the HPCA Stadium together.

India have lost just three times in their last 46 games on home soil and were quick to offer a reminder of the task that faces England’s Bazball brigade over the next seven weeks.

England captain Ben Stokes, who was on crutches after knee surgery in November, struck a vital 70 to give his side a fighting chance in their first innings but on a predictably helpful surface eight of his team-mates fell to spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.

England, who were dismissed for less than 200 six times in eight attempts on their last visit in 2021, had loaded their own attack with three slow bowlers of their own but they were unable to replicate the same threat as India made 119 for one in reply.

Left-armer Hartley, a selectorial hunch fancied to flourish in the sub-continent, had never opened the bowling in his first-class career but accepted Stokes’ challenge to do so. It proved a gamble too far.

The 24-year-old’s first delivery in the Test arena was brutally smashed for six by Yashasvi Jaiswal, reaching to drag it high into the leg-side in what looked a pre-meditated assault. Four balls later, Jaiswal cleared the ropes again.

Stokes backed his man, keeping him on for an extended spell and keeping the field up, and the runs continued to flow. He struggled to hold both line and length, dragging a couple of long hops into the middle of the pitch and drifting down the leg side as Jaiswal continued to feast.

In amongst the carnage he showed glimmers of promise, and one promising appeal, but his nine-over spell cost a damaging 63 – including 44 in boundaries. It was impossible not to ponder the fate of Hartley’s Lancashire predecessor, Simon Kerrigan, who shipped 53 runs in eight overs on debut in the 2013 Ashes and never played for his country again.

The current regime are less likely to cut players adrift but it was a painful welcome. England’s only wicket came from the more established finger spin of Jack Leach, who had Rohit Sharma caught by Stokes trying and failing an elaborate strike down the ground.

Jaiswal, seen as an up and coming star, finished 76 not out from 70 balls having cashed in on his takedown of Hartley.

England’s day started positively, Stokes batting first after winning a handy toss and watching as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shared an opening stand of 55.

Despite some evident swing, the pair backed themselves and picked up an early flurry of fours before Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj made way for spin after eight unsuccessful overs.

The change was profound, with England losing three wickets for five runs in the space of 21 deliveries. Ashwin removed both set batters, Duckett lbw propping forward for 35 and Crawley driving low to mid-off for 20.

In between, the returning Ollie Pope lasted 11 skittish balls and edged Jadeja to slip for just one. Pope has not played since dislocating his shoulder in the second Test of last summer’s Ashes and the cobwebs accrued over six months were there for all to see.

Jonny Bairstow led a restorative partnership of 61 with his fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root, securing a promising lunch score of 108 for three, but further trouble arrived in the middle session. Bairstow (37) had his off stump taken by a cracker from Patel, moments before Root (29) top-edged a sweep to fine leg.

However, Stokes shepherded things impressively at the back end of the innings, which seemed to be disappearing swiftly when Ben Foakes’ nick behind made it 155 for seven. Having played his way in smartly with a secure defence, Stokes began to make his presence felt as he ran out of partners.

The reverse sweeps came out of his bat sweetly, he got value when he opted to drive and after tea he reached his half-century with back-to-back sixes off Jadeja.

Before he was finished he dealt Ashwin a similar blow, but he was last man out in the 65th over when Bumrah got one to jag away off the pitch and part his stumps.

As he walked off England’s score felt close to competitive but Indian aggression and the failed experiment with Hartley made it look slimmer and slimmer. Worse still, England used all three reviews unsuccessfully in just 14 overs – two in an attempt to win Hartley a first scalp.

The reigning champions have recovered from a slow start to their total defence to reach their fourth successive semi-final in the competition.

England have subsequently set up a rematch of their showdown with India at this stage of the 2022 competition, when Jos Buttler and Alex Hales inspired England to a 10-wicket victory with four overs to spare.

Two years later, they face an India side full of momentum having won all six of their completed matches, while eliminating 50-over world champions Australia with a 24-run win on Monday. 

And Moeen knows England cannot afford to be off the pace in Guyana if they are to replicate their 2022 exploits. 

"They looked very, very strong, like they did in the last World Cup," he said. "They're just a brilliant side. They've got everything covered, so we're going to have to be at our best to beat them. I'm looking forward to it. 

"It's a great challenge, similar to the last time we played them in the semi-final in Australia. It's going to be a challenge, and we're going to have to plan and play really well."

Remembering that 2022 semi-final, Moeen added: "We were unbelievable with the bat. We set the game up on that wicket with the ball. Even when they got away from us a little bit at the end, it was a bit late. That was a great day, and a great performance."

After rain wiped out the prospect of a dramatic finish in the opener at Trent Bridge, India made sure there was final-day drama at Lord's last time out, taking 10 wickets in the final two sessions to go 1-0 up.

The teams have had a brief period of respite before battle resumes in Leeds on Wednesday, with England certain to make changes to their XI.

Dom Sibley was dropped after averaging just 14.25 in the series, meaning Haseeb Hameed seems set to slide up to open and the recalled Dawid Malan will bat at three, a position he has never previously occupied during any of his 15 Test appearances.

However, captain Joe Root is confident Malan – who averages 27.84 in the format, including hitting an Ashes century in Perth – can fill a problem position.

"He's played a lot of red-ball cricket over the course of his career and he's also had great success," Root told the media.

"He's played in a massive series in Australia away and been our leading run-scorer out there, so we know that he's capable of big things in Test match cricket."

England will also have to select a replacement for Mark Wood; the pace bowler is ruled out with the shoulder injury suffered at Lord's. Either Craig Overton or the uncapped Saqib Mahmood will get a chance in the bowling attack.

As for India, they are sitting in a position of strength, not just in terms of the series score but also the options they have available to them.

A pace-heavy bowling unit was the key to their impressive success last time out but the move north could prompt a change in approach, should the Headingley surface look to aid spin. Ravichandran Ashwin - who has just the 413 Test wickets to his name - is waiting in the wings for an opportunity.

The only occasion India have ever recorded successive Test triumphs in England came back in June 1986, when they followed up a victory at Lord's by beating their hosts in Leeds a fortnight later. Could history be set to repeat itself?

Siraj shines as bowlers prosper

Opener KL Rahul was named man of the match at Lord's following a first-innings century, yet it was Mohammed Siraj and his fellow pace bowlers who overwhelmed England on the fifth and final day, skittling them for 120 in 51.5 overs.

India boast a bowling average of 22.4 in Tests since the beginning of 2019, the best by any team in that time. England, in contrast, are ranked sixth in this category with an average of 28.1.

Root still waits for record

Root has been the one England batsman to prosper against India so far, scoring two hundreds and a half-century. His series average of 128.66 is outstanding yet his runs have not provided the foundation for his team to be successful.

This outing at his home venue in Yorkshire will be his 55th as Test captain, the second most by any England player. He has won 26 of those games in charge, leaving him level with Michael Vaughan at the top of the list.

Key match facts

- India have lost only one of their last six Tests (W4, D1), an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship Final (June 2021).

- England are winless in their last seven Tests (D2, L5). The last time they recorded a longer winless run in the format was an eight-match span from November 2017 to May 2018 (D2, L6).

- India (126) and England (110) have hit more sixes than any other teams in Test cricket since the beginning of 2019.

- Rishabh Pant has a batting strike rate of 68.8 in Tests since the beginning of 2019, the second best by any player to face at least 1,000 balls in that time (Quinton de Kock – 71.4).

- James Anderson has an economy rate of 2.4 in the format since the beginning of 2019, the best by any bowler in that time (minimum 500 overs bowled).

Root led by example yet again, becoming only the third England batsman to score six hundreds in a calendar year in the longest format.

The captain sent a raucous Headingley crowd into raptures, playing with great finesse in his latest masterclass before he was dismissed for 121.

Recalled batsman Dawid Malan made an impressive 70, with England closing in complete command on 423-8 – leading by 345 runs and primed to level the series at 1-1 after the tourists were skittled for only 78 on day one.

Rory Burns, celebrating his 31st birthday, was bowled by Mohammed Shami (3-87) for 61 and Ravindra Jadeja (2-88) cleaned up Haseeb Hameed (68) after England resumed on 120 without loss.

Root was in great touch immediately after coming to the crease with his side 159-2 and the runs started to flow after lunch as the new ball was given the treatment.

The skipper reached his half-century off only 57 balls, raising his bat after a glorious square drive off the back foot, and continued to motor with great support from Malan.

Malan also played some sumptuous strokes in a third wicket stand of 139 with Root before he edged Mohammed Siraj (2-86) behind on the stroke of lunch, Virat Kohli successfully reviewing despite Rishabh Pant appearing to be totally unaware of an edge.

Root raced to his 23rd Test hundred in the evening session, while Jonny Bairstow looked in good touch before falling for 29.

Jasprit Bumrah got one to nip back in and bowl Root, who found the rope 14 times, and Craig Overton was unbeaten on 24 at stumps after Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali fell cheaply.

RUTHLESS ROOT

Root continued his astonishing purple patch with another sublime innings on his home ground, facing only 125 to reach three figures yet again.

The skipper matched a feat achieved by the great Denis Compton and Michael Vaughan of scoring six Test hundreds in a calendar year – an England record.

There appears to be no stopping Root, who made 109 in the first match of the series at Trent Bridge before crafting a brilliant unbeaten 180 in the first innings of the defeat at Lord's. 

Root has amassed 507 in five innings during this series, averaging 126.75 at a strike rate of 61.38.

MALAN GRASPS HIS CHANCE

Malan also played beautifully on what is now his home ground after being recalled for his first Test in three years.

With Hameed moving up to open and Dom Sibley dropped, the left-hander produced an assured knock that England have been lacking from a number three.

He struck 11 boundaries in 128 balls, making 50 or more for the eighth time in the longest format.

A member of India's support staff, reported by the Times of India to be a junior physio, has tested positive for coronavirus, and the team did not appear for a net session or hold a news conference on Thursday.

On the eve of the match, the last in a series in which India hold a 2-1 lead, it remained to be seen whether there could be an issue with it going ahead as scheduled.

India do not want to concede the match, yet this is the latest case in their camp, after head coach Ravi Shastri and two members of his staff also tested positive and were sidelined during the fourth Test at The Oval.

England wicketkeeper-batsman Buttler said: "At present we're fully expecting the game to go ahead. We're preparing to play tomorrow and fingers crossed the game will go ahead.

"Things are all fine in our camp and we trained well this morning so, hopefully, we're looking forward to the game tomorrow."

The Oval defeat for England came as India carved through the hosts' batting line-up on the final day, reducing them from 100-0 to 210 all out, earning a 157-run success.

"It was a fantastic Test match for the neutrals," said Buttler, who missed the game as his wife gave birth. "The team played some brilliant cricket for large parts of that game but couldn't quite get it done.

"As a group we're determined to win this Test match and level this series. Spirits are high and so it's one last big push this summer for a must-win game for us."

England have a proud Old Trafford record against India to defend, having never lost in the nine matches the teams have contested at the ground. England have four wins and five draws in their head-to-head, winning by an innings and 54 runs when the teams last played in Manchester, in August 2014.

An Old Trafford draw in 1990 featured the first Test century of Sachin Tendulkar's stellar career, the then 17-year-old making 119 not out in the fourth innings of the contest.

BUTTLER SEES ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Buttler made a Test ton against India at Trent Bridge three years ago, and a return to that level of form would be welcome after a run of low scores, with 25 his highest across five Test innings in this series.

"I haven't played my best by a long stretch," Buttler said. "I think I've felt like that the whole season. It's on yourself as a player to put the work in, to train hard and make some runs.

"I've been working hard on that and that's the challenge of the game: can you do the work to give yourself the best chance to perform in the middle?"

For the Lancashire player, home advantage may help in the coming days.

ANDERSON COULD TAKE CENTRE STAGE

Another player relishing the chance to shine at his county ground will be James Anderson, England's evergreen paceman.

The 39-year-old has 15 wickets at an average of 24.66 so far in this series, and Buttler is confident Anderson and fellow quick Ollie Robinson will be raring to go after a heavy Oval workload.

"They've bowled a lot of overs and bowled fantastically well," said Buttler. "They've rightfully taken rest in the few days since the last game.

"But they seem to be pulling up well. Jimmy is a fantastically fit guy who looks after himself and Ollie's exactly the same. Fingers crossed they'll both be in good shape and available for selection."

Robinson has a series-high 21 wickets at 21.33, and his contribution could be important as England target a fourth straight win in Tests at Old Trafford. 

The last and only time they enjoyed a longer winning run at the venue was a four-match span from July 2006 to June 2010. England have not lost consecutive home Tests against India since June 1986, which was the first time that had occurred.

KEY OPTA FACTS

– India last won a Test series against England, in England, in 2007. To deny them, England will be chasing a win that would be their 50th in men's Tests against India. They have passed that landmark against three other Test teams previously: 110 wins against Australia, 64 against South Africa and 51 against West Indies.

– England have not lost back-to-back men's home Tests since July 2008, when South Africa were the opposition.

– India captain Virat Kohli is 40 away from becoming the fifth player to score 2,000 runs in men's Tests between England and India (Tendulkar – 2,535, Sunil Gavaskar – 2,483, Alastair Cook – 2,431 and Joe Root – 2,353); however, Kohli's Test batting average (43.6) against England is his second lowest against any country (43.3 v West Indies).

– England skipper Root (1,455 in 2021) is 27 away from recording the most runs in men's Tests by an England player in a calendar year (Michael Vaughan – 1,481 in 2002).

In a wild morning session, India went from 338-7 to 416 all out, Ravindra Jadeja completing a century by moving from 83 to 104 before being bowled by James Anderson.

India scored a world-record 35 runs from one Stuart Broad over as captain Jasprit Bumrah took centre stage with the bat. Bumrah is better known for his work with the ball, and the skipper then reduced England to 44-3 when he sent back Alex Lees, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope.

After a two-hour rain break, the third such interruption of the innings, England lost former skipper Joe Root for 31, and nightwatchman Jack Leach followed, with Bairstow (12 not out) and captain Ben Stokes (0 no) together at the close. England were 84-5 at stumps, nowhere near where they hoped to be in the contest.

India are 2-1 ahead in this series, one that began last year but had to be curtailed before the fifth Test got under way due to COVID-19 concerns in the tourists' ranks. This long-delayed match is therefore decisive, with England needing a victory to force a drawn series.

Rather than go after the win, avoiding a heavy defeat could become the priority, but at this stage the hosts will still believe they can salvage this situation, given positivity is flowing through the team after the recent 3-0 rout of New Zealand.

Broad had a rotten morning, entering the record books in unwanted fashion when Bumrah set about his bowling. The previous Test record of 28 runs from an over was obliterated, aided by Broad bowling a high wide that raced to the boundary before being clubbed for six off a no-ball.

Bumrah finished on 31 not out when Broad held a catch off James Anderson (5-60) to remove Mohammed Siraj in the next over.

Three rain delays affected England's reply, but the batting was not up to scratch. The most damaging dismissal was surely that of Root to a snorter of a delivery that climbed rapidly into the batsman, drawing a thin edge to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Now Bairstow, whose past three Test scores have been 136, 162 and 71 not out, will aim to lead a recovery effort alongside the skipper.

Anderson at it again

It still defies belief that England's previous regime looked ready to discard Anderson. He might turn 40 later this month, but few seamers in world cricket can rival his skill, and India again found him so difficult to play. A 32nd five-wicket haul of his Test career was his sixth against India.

England have done it before, so can they do it again?

England hardly need to look far back in the history books for inspiration. In the third Test against New Zealand, they were 55-6 in their first innings but rallied to post 360 all out. The seventh-wicket stand of 241 runs between Bairstow and Jamie Overton saved the day that time, and something special is required again here.

England have had a turbulent tournament so far. After a slow start that saw a washout against Scotland and a defeat to Australia, Mott's side have shown glimpses of their best.

They bounced back from defeat to South Africa in the Super 8s with a superb 10-wicket victory over co-hosts USA to book their place in the semi-final – a repeat of the one in 2022 against India.

But with England's performances growing stronger throughout the tournament, Mott is hopeful his team can come out on the front foot.

"We haven't quite clicked as a whole unit yet," said Mott.

"Bits and pieces have worked at different times, but our 'A-game' is certainly enough to match with India.

"We've had to play some ugly cricket at times. But from here on in, it's time to be the frontrunners.

"It's time to more or less throw the first punch at India and then try to get our nose in front and never give it back."

In the semi-finals two years ago, England cruised to a 10-wicket victory after India, who only managed to get 168-6 as they were caught within 16 overs.

However, they have enjoyed their World Cup campaign so far, which included an impressive 24-run win over Australia in the Super 8s on Monday.

Mott knows they are in for a different test this time around, but he is sure his team are up to the task.

"We're not looking back at all with this group," he added. "One of its big mantras is staying present.

"They are a different team, too, than when we took them on.

"We've had to fight our way through this tournament, and it's something that's galvanised us as a group and will hold us in really good stead for cut-throat matches."

England followed the trend of a bowler-dominated series, losing early wickets after being put into bat by Rohit Sharma in the decider on Sunday.

But new white-ball captain Buttler led the recovery with 60 alongside Moeen Ali (34) before Craig Overton's 32 helped the hosts post 259 all out.

England appeared well-placed to defend the total when Reece Topley dismissed Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit and Virat Kohli to leave India reeling at 38-3.

Yet Rishabh Pant combined with Hardik Pandya (71) for an unbroken stand of 133 as the wicketkeeper-batsman crafted his maiden ODI century, guiding the tourists to a five-wicket victory with 47 balls to spare.

Pant dazzled with his 125 off 113 deliveries, but Buttler missed a glorious stumping chance when the left-hander was on just 18 and paid a heavy price.

"It was a good wicket once you got yourself in, so we were a bit light with the bat. But the start we made with the ball gave us a chance and that missed stumping cost us," Buttler said.

"Pant is a really good player. If you give good players a chance they will hurt you and had we taken those chances we had a good hold with a long tail. But with the score we put up we had to take all our chances.

"We are not quite hitting our straps as a batting unit, but we are not far off. We are just not producing what we are capable of. So hopefully individually and collectively we can find a solution.

"These guys are fantastic to work and there is still a lot of enjoyment. Hopefully we will find our best cricket soon.

"I am an experienced cricketer but a young captain, so I am not worrying too much. I have lots to learn, and I need time to do that."

Hardik set the tone with the ball for India with career-best ODI figures of 4-24 that included the all-rounder having the final say in a short-ball battle with Liam Livingstone (27) by getting him caught on the boundary.

Livingstone and Hardik exchanged words throughout the contest and, despite the India star's wry smile upon the England batter's dismissal, he says the pair's relationship is amicable.

"White ball cricket is something very close to me," Hardik said after India completed 2-1 series victories over England in both the T20I and ODIs.

"I cherish my white-ball game. We all know England are such a good team. For us it was important to check ourselves out with our plans and the World Cup ahead.

"It was an ideal chance for us to step up and show what we have. It was important for me to come in and stop the runs and bowl as many dots.

"We took two wickets early, but they recovered well and were cruising. I love short balls. I don't fancy people taking me on, it always gets me into the game.

"I don't mind getting hit for six sixes as long as I take wickets. I am good pals [with Livingstone] but at the end of the day that's his game. He takes his chances on."

Hardik was also quick to hail the efforts of Pant, saying: "Today he played the situation. Our partnership changed the game and the way he finished the game was special."

England are battling to avoid a three-day defeat in Dharamsala as Ravichandran Ashwin caused havoc among the top-order after James Anderson became the first fast bowler to record 700 Test wickets.

Anderson joined former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and the late Australia leg-break bowler Shane Warne in the 700 club by dismissing Kuldeep Yadav on the third morning of the fifth Test.

India were all out for 477 and a lead of 259 before Ashwin ran amok on his 100th Test, bagging both England openers, Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes as the tourists ended the session on 103 for five.

Jonny Bairstow briefly rallied on his 100th Test with three big sixes off Ashwin but there was to be no memorable end to the series for the Yorkshireman as he was dismissed before lunch for 39 off 31 balls.

A 4-1 series defeat now appears all but inevitable and England’s hopes of not losing by an innings rest on Joe Root, who is on 34 not out after Stokes was castled by Ashwin with the last ball of the session.

After a chastening past couple of days, England broke out in smiles when Anderson kissed the outside edge of Kuldeep on the way through to Ben Foakes for 30. The evergreen 41-year-old soaked in the congratulations of his team-mates before raising the ball in a typically low-key celebration.

Shoaib Bashir had his five-for as India added just four runs to their overnight score, with the young off-spinner bagging Jasprit Bumrah for 20 to finish with five for 173. Anderson and Bashir each deferred to the other to lead England off the field before walking off together.

It was not long before England were in trouble when their innings started, Ashwin making the breakthrough in his first over when Ben Duckett uncharacteristically charged down the wicket and toe-ended the ball on to his off stump.

Zak Crawley made a 16-ball duck, dismissed after turning Ashwin to backward short-leg while Pope was sketchy again, making 19 before premeditating a sweep which ballooned off the top edge to Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Bairstow was purposeful and muscled three sixes in the space of seven Ashwin deliveries but was lbw when Kuldeep found sharp turn off the pitch. A review failed to save him as HawkEye showed the ball brushing the top of the stumps.

Despite bagging a wicket with his first ball yesterday, Stokes’ troubles with the bat continued as he was dismissed for a 13th time by Ashwin on the stroke of lunch, bowled through the gate by one that skidded on.

India need seven wickets to level the four-match series after all-rounder Ashwin made a sublime 106 on a sharply turning pitch at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday.

Ashwin played with great application and skill to craft a fifth hundred in the longest format, having also taken 5-43 as England were bowled out for only 134 on the second day.

Captain Virat Kohli made 62 but it was all about Ashwin, roared on by a vociferous crowd, once again as India were bowled out for 286 – setting the tourists a mammoth 482 to win.

The excellent Axar Patel dismissed Dom Sibley and nightwatchman Jack Leach, while Ashwin got rid of Rory Burns to leave England 53-3 at stumps and facing a huge defeat.

Moeen Ali (4-98) and Jack Leach (4-100) thrived on a track that has offered significant turn from day one as India lost five wickets in the morning session.

Ashwin and Kohli mastered the conditions impressively to strengthen India's grip on the match, though, putting on 96 for the seventh wicket.

Moeen saw the back of Kohli, who spent five hours at the crease and struck seven boundaries, but went from strength to strength in an imperious knock, hitting a six and 14 fours.

England were finally put out of their misery when Olly Stone cleaned up Ashwin after Mohammed Siraj added insult to injury with a couple of lusty blows over the rope.

Axar (2-15) then got Sibley lbw for only three and Ashwin had Burns (25) caught by Kohli, before Leach fended the first ball he faced from his fellow left-armer to Rohit Sharma at leg slip.

India were convinced Joe Root should have been adjudged lbw when he was struck in front by Axar, but the third umpire ruled he was hit outside the line of off stump in the final over of a great day for India.

False dawn for England

The tourists started the third day on the ropes, with India leading by 249 runs on 54-1 after 15 wickets tumbled on a dramatic day two.

Cheteshwar Pujara fell in the first over, comically run out when he lost his grip on his bat after jamming it in the pitch and was out of his ground following fine work from Ollie Pope at short leg.

India were 106-6 with Rohit, Rishabh Pant, Ajinkya Rahane and Axar back in the pavilion, as Ben Foakes produced two excellent stumpings for Leach and Moeen.

Ashwin and Kohli rub England's noses in it

The magnificent Ashwin put England in a spin on Sunday and showed his class with the bat in front of his adoring crowd in what is turning out to be a dream Test for the all-rounder.

Ashwin and the classy Kohli made England suffer on a hot day, with Root's tiring side becoming increasingly sloppy in the field with a combination of dropped catches and a missed stumping.

Kohli looked untroubled until he was pinned in front by Moeen, but Ashwin continued to take a positive approach after bringing up a 64-ball half-century.

He smashed Moeen for a huge six to move three shy of three figures and there was a huge roar when he struck a streaky boundary to complete a brilliant hundred. Only Ian Botham (five) has scored a century and taken a five-wicket haul in the same Test more times than Ashwin's three.

All-rounder Stokes is not involved following the recent death of his father, Ged, while paceman Archer is given a break following a busy year.

Both players will return to Test duty in February against India, with England's squad planning to fly directly to Chennai from Colombo ahead of that four-match series.

Opening batsman Rory Burns is another absentee from the 16-man group travelling to Sri Lanka; he will remain at home for the birth of his first child.

As for those that do make the trip, Bairstow is involved again having not played in the longest format since the first Test of the series against South Africa in December 2019.

The right-handed batsman averages 34.74 in his Test career with six centuries, including scoring 110 against Sri Lanka in Colombo just over two years ago when batting at number three in the order.

There is a place for uncapped Essex batsman Dan Lawrence too, while Moeen Ali, Dom Bess and Jack Leach provide spin options in the party.

England depart on January 2 for Hambantota, where the squad will prepare for action. Both Tests are to be staged in Galle.

Ollie Pope - who is still recovering from shoulder surgery - will join the party to continue his rehab work ahead of the tour to India, while a seven-man group of reserves has been announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

England Test squad: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.

Batsman Bairstow, all-rounder Curran and paceman Wood have been rested and will fly home after the ongoing Test series in Sri Lanka along with quick Craig Overton.

Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Rory Burns are back in the squad for a series that starts at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 5.

Fast bowler Archer and all-rounder Stokes did not travel to Sri Lanka as they were given a break, while opening batsman Burns stayed at home for the birth of his first child.

Batsman Ollie Pope will fly out to India and be added to a 16-man squad when he has fully recovered from a shoulder operation.

The national selectors have also named six travelling reserves, three of which are spinners, for the series against an India side on a high from a dramatic 2-1 victory in Australia.

England squad for first two Tests against India: 

Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

Reserves:

James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi.

It had been intended that Curran would travel to Ahmedabad to be available for what will be England's final Test of the tour, starting on March 4.

But the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday that "making secure arrangements for such a journey proved too great a logistical challenge".

Surrey all-rounder Curran played in both of England's Tests against Sri Lanka in January, but he returned home after the series – alongside Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood – in order to take a break from the team's biosecure bubble.

While Bairstow and Wood have returned to training and are expected to be able to play in the third Test next week, Curran was given extra time off. The 22-year-old, who also represented Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, has spent extended time in team bubbles since July 2020.

England take on India in five Twenty20 internationals and three ODI matches throughout March, and Curran will join members of the limited-overs squad travelling on a charter flight on February 26. He will arrive too late to be considered for the final Test, the ECB indicated.

With no direct flights available from the United Kingdom, Curran would have had to make a stop-over on his way to the Ahmedabad Test. That would have added more risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus, while he would have had to isolate on his arrival in India had any other passenger on his commercial flights returned a positive test.

An ECB spokesman said: "To give Sam the best chance of minimising his risk of exposure to the virus, it was decided to delay his return so that he could travel on the charter flight with the white-ball squad members due to fly on 26 February."

Over 21 Tests with England, Curran has taken 44 wickets for an average of 32.52, while he has 14 limited-overs wickets to his name.