Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed might be some way short of the celebrity of Ben Stokes.
But England's new opening partnership have given their team reason to believe they can reprise the heroics of their absent all-rounder from Headingley two summers ago, at the end of another titanic Test match.
The home side will be required to make the highest ever successful run-chase in their Test history if they are to take an unlikely win from India, and a 2-1 lead in the series.
They will start the final day at The Oval on 77 for no loss, thanks to the vigilance of Burns and Hameed in the final session of Day 4, and needing 368 to win. That is nine more than they needed in the Stokes-inspired Ashes epic of 2019.
Sure, it is a long shot. But the pitch is eminently playable, seam bowlers have been having to toil and Ravichandran Ashwin, India's 413-wicket offspinner, has rarely been more conspicuous by his absence. The hosts will enter day five full of hope.
If evidence were required as to quite how benign conditions are for batting, India’s second innings provided it. Six of their batsmen exceeded 43, with three making half-centuries, and Rohit Sharma top scoring with 127.
And yet, despite the ease of scoring, Virat Kohli’s wait for an international century continues to go on.
India’s captain had seemed a cert to end his 21-month spell without a ton. So comfortable was he, he had even started getting bolshy, avidly celebrating when an errant throw by England brought his batting partner Rishabh Pant four overthrows.
No sooner had he done that, though, Kohli was dismissed, edging Moeen Ali’s off-spin to Craig Overton at slip. He looked livid, as he traipsed off with just 44 to his name.
It was the 10th time he has fallen to Moeen in international cricket. No other bowler has got him more time, while it also edged Moeen past Jim Laker in the wicket charts for England spinners. Only Derek Underwood and Graeme Swann have taken more.
Kohli’s mood appeared to improve as his side set about building an imposing target for England to chase, but he must have felt as though his colleagues were scoring runs meant for him.
Both India’s No 7 and their No 8 posted fifties. For Pant, it provided relief after a lean spell on tour. For Shardul Thakur, it was a second in the match, and came amid a similarly spectacular array of shot-making as he essayed in his record-breaking effort in the first innings.
Even Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah – neither of whom is a celebrated batter – managed 25 and 24 respectively, as India amassed 466 to set England a target of 368 to win.
England’s bowlers looked worn out by the end of it. Given there is just a three-day break between the end of this game and the start of the next, whether James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, who bowled 33 overs and 32 overs each in the innings, will be fit to start remains to be seen.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Scoreline
Arsenal 3
Aubameyang (28'), Welbeck (38', 81')
Red cards: El Neny (90' 3)
Southampton 2
Long (17'), Austin (73')
Red cards: Stephens (90' 2)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Read more about the coronavirus
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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