Alec Stewart
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Alastair has a record which I don't think will ever be beaten by an England batsman and I think he can walk away feeling extremely proud.

There's a group of 20 chefs in the stands, waiting for Alastair Cook to make his way down the stairs. The chef in question is currently rehearsing his forward defensive in the dressing room.

And here he and Keaton Jennings come, to a standing, hearty ovation from The Oval crowd.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at The Oval

Chaos outside The Oval. This photo is of the queue down the street to get to the ground, never mind get in it. Touts yell into phones, stewards urge spectators to get on to the pavement, buses honk horns. It's like being in Mumbai.

Plenty of Essex representation at The Oval this week...

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

Opening the batting in Test cricket, facing up to fast bowlers looking to do their worst with a new, hard ball is incredibly tough. You have to be brave, single-minded and prepared to work very, very hard.

Over his long career, Alastair Cook has set himself high standards, standards that he was no longer living up to. It would take a massive effort to get back to the level he wants to be at.

Instead, he feels like he is spent. When you have given as much as he has, over such a period of time, it is hardly surprising that he has run out of steam.

You can read more from Aggers here.

Bertie Allison: As captain of my school 1st X1, I lost all 16 tosses of the summer. My maths teacher said I'd have better odds of winning the lottery.

Hanuma Vihari is making his Test debut for India today.

The 24-year-old averages 59.79 in first-class cricket and made an unbeaten 302 in the Ranji Trophy.

India captain Virat Kohli: "I think I need a coin with heads on both sides, that's the only way I'll win a toss! It is a good wicket but there's more grass on it that Southampton. I think the first session will be tough.

"Ashwin has aggravated his niggle, so Jadeja comes in. Hanuma Vihari makes his debut for Hardik Pandya. He's an exciting guy."

My main hope for this Test is that we get to see Alastair Cook bowling again at some point. How can you resist?

If you've got a favourite Cook memory, then tweet us using #bbccricket, text 81111 or email tms@bbc.co.uk

Image source, Getty Images

England captain Joe Root: "They have been difficult pitches to read this summer and this is the same. It looks dry underneath and have got two spinners so hopefully it plays into our hands later in the game. It will be tough to start with but with the sun out, it should be a good afternoon for batting.

On batting at number four: "It feels the right position for me to get the best out of myself, and it will benefit the team the most. It's a great opportunity for Moeen at three, who has been in fine form of Worcestershire."

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at The Oval

Here is Alastair Cook's commemorative cap, presented by Colin Graves and Andrew Strauss.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

You know at The Oval you're going to get carry, so the snicks will carry through to the slip cordon. I am surprised they've gone for this pitch where there's so much green grass.

England have had another little shuffle with their team.

Moeen will bat at three, Joe Root will be at four and Jonny Bairstow, back behind the stumps after Jos Buttler did the keeping at Southampton, will be number five.

"Jonny keeping is how I see it currently. Things might change in the future, you never know, but I think this is the most sensible thing," captain Root said yesterday.

"If you look at the workloads and the amount of cricket we play, sharing it out between formats seems like a sensible option."

Image source, Getty Images

England: Cook, Jennings, Moeen, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Curran, Rashid, Broad, Anderson.

India: Dhawan, Rahul, Pujara, Kohli, Rahane, Vihari, Pant, Jadeja, Shami, Ishant, Bumrah.

We've got two changes for India - there's no Ravichandran Ashwin, who struggled a little with injury at Southampton. Ravindra Jadeja is in for him.

India have also given a debut to Hanuma Vihari, in place of Hardik Pandya.

Glorious sunshine at The Oval.

"Heads" calls Virat Kohli - and it's tails! I don't think Kohli's won a toss all series. Anyway, England have won the toss, and they're going to have a bat first.

Right, Joe Root and Virat Kohli have emerged from the dressing rooms.

Time for the toss...

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Weather watchpublished at 10:25 BST 7 September 2018

10:25 BST 7 September 2018

That all looks pretty promising to me...