AKCJ

I get that the bowlers have been mostly flogged all summer but pretty much every test was like a seesaw of @StanSP and I constantly thinking we've ****ed it and arguing with each other for the other being too pessimistic Every game has been balanced on a knife edge that has tipped from side to side. Every game has had massive drama at some stage.

Aussie pitches have been very seam friendly for a few years now. England will turn up with Jamie Overton banging it in on a short length. England's problem from day 1 under McCullum is that they've not been adaptable. It's like they decided how every game was going to be played in a meeting on day 1 and haven't actually looked at conditions, form or availability.

Stokes and Woakes might call it a day after the Ashes too. Would be the ideal time to have a reset.

There will be very, very few changes to the Ashes squad. It's clear they've been building up to it for years. I would imagine that (unless they have a very good series) the likes of Pope and Crawley will be dropped afterwards.

No I agree. But getting yourself out of match winning positions by playing ridiculous shots needs to be curtailed. He played a (mostly) sensible innings to get his hundred but then proceeded to just give his wicket away. Right when England had India by the knackers.

I would argue the opposite. The 2005 Ashes was played to a phenomenal standard whereas I think both sides in this series have played some pretty miserable stuff at times.

I've always thought overhead conditions are more important in England than the pitch. I think England comfortably chase that if it's a bright sunny morning. Ball was doing nothing until the rain brought the clouds down last night and this morning. Not many batsmen can survive in those conditions.

I think that Crawley and Duckett going after bowlers works but the further you go down the order the less it makes sense to me.

OH YEAH!

So anyway, glad to get that Test shite out the way. Who else is looking forward to The Hundred?? Anyone?!??

It was a big couple of days for 'Bazball'. Proper killer blow right before the Ashes. A lot to think about now.

Crawley's crisp packet hands as well!

Shubman Gill and Prasidh Krisna owe Siraj a beer. Bailed them out big time there.

Game over. Well played India!

Fair play to Atkinson here as well. Batting this well with bollocks the size of watermelons can't be easy.

I don't think he has it in him to hit the ball

Woakes deserves a knighthood for this.

9 runs scored, 164 runs given, 2 wickets Proper horrid performance.

CHRIST

They were 347/6. Bethell and Smith completely shat it.

CHRIST

Big time. India handed us it on a plate and then Brook, Bethell and Smith just handed the initiative back to India with stupid batting.

There it is.

I don't agree with turning down singles. I know Atkinson has a century but these are two bowlers. Neither could claim to be anything near all-rounder status. Take the singles and put the pressure onto India. They're just waiting for unplayable deliveries. Try and get it into single figures as quickly as you can.