Nagpur

Set in its Central India location, Nagpur is in a dry part of India, and the cricket pitch is in a dry part of Nagpur. MS Dhoni makes little effort to pretend that the pitch is intended for anything other than his three spinners. There is just one change in the England side, with Jonny Bairstow re-introduced to replace Samit Patel, who has an upset stomach. The Indian side, however, bears two changes, with Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan making way for Puyish Chawla and Parvinder Awana respectively. Rather than bother with the formality of going out into the middle, Alistair Cook and MS Dhoni stay in the pavilion and just agree that if they had actually tossed a coin, India would have won the toss and decided to bat. 

They might equally have agreed that Gautam Ghambir would have been trapped lbw, prodding half-forward to James Anderson's third delivery, particularly if they had read Next Week's Scoreboard.  But - as has been pointed out both in productions such as Doctor Who and Back to the Future, and also by a former colleague of NWS's author - the possibility of an individual able to control and yet also know his fate could cause a rupture in the space/time continuum.  This itself could have disrupted the Final Test in manners unknown, and perhaps that is why Cook and Dhoni, with their love for test match cricket, decided to avoid this blog.

Anyway, India bat pretty well after Ghambir's not unpredictable dismissal, on a dry looking pitch.  Virender Sehwag is stumped for 94, trying to hit Monty Panesar into the River Nagpur, but Sachin Tendulkar survives a confident lbw decision to make an accomplished 76 not out, before stumps are drawn with the score on 245 for 2.  But the pitch is already turning for Panesar and Swann: how long can the little resplendido keep the former Northants spinners at bay?

In the most absorbing day's cricket since 12 September 2005, there is a titanic battle between modern greats Sachin Tendulkar and Monty Panesar. In a day when Panesar and Swann bowl unchanged for a session and a half, Tendulkar battles to 158, before becoming Panesar's final wicket, but at the other end, the Indians try to keep the Englsih spinners out - but to no avail. Eventually, the Indians are all out for 422. Panesar can only smile, as he walks off the pitch and sees a massive banner saying "Well done, Monty, you really bowled splendidly." That is true generosity of spirit from the Indian supporters.

Perhaps exhausted from fielding around the bat, the England batsmen do not play well. Awana is nervous, but after Cook nicks a wide one to Pujara at slip, he regains his confidence and starts to bowl increasingly quickly.  Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen follow quickly afterwards, and Nick Compton can only look on sadly from the other end.  Ian Bell is able to keep out Awana, and the erratic Chawla; and indeed after tea, the two England right-handers open up, striking Chawla for 44 runs in just two overs. Unfortunately, Bell is out stumped off Chawla, trying to do one better than Sehwag and hit the iffy leg-spinner into the River Nagpur.  Sir Ian Botham explains that this is Bell's natural game, but there is little sympathy as nightwatchman Anderson's off-stump is uprooted by Awana in the final ball of the day's play.

The third day starts well for England, with Bairstow batting assertively against R Ashwin.  He knocks up a quick 45, before attampting to reverse sweep Pragyan Ojha. As the ball strikes his pad, each and every one of the Indian close fielders appeal for lbw, but Umpire Aleem Dar does an excellent job to detect an edge before the ball strikes the pad, and declines the appeal.  Detecting a problem, Compton comes down the pitch and challenges Bairstow to cross the Rubicon - to go from being a promising one day wicketkeeper-batsman, to being a test match batsman.  Bairstow is the last man out for 146, off 220 balls, as England are eventually dismissed for 455. There is just time for Sehwag to get out stumped, trying once more to hit Panesar into the River Nagpur, before close of play. 

The fourth day is, unfortunately, lost to rain.

It is clear that the match will result in a draw, barring a batting catastrophe by either side. Unfortunately, that is the fate which meets India.  Or was it a great bowling performance from Steven Finn on a dead pitch which caused it?  And is India's batting collapse too late for England to claim victory anyway?