Ravi Jadeja's beard seems to be growing with every over he bowls. If his approach to the crease gets any shorter, he won't bother to run in. It's the sort of situation Alastair Cook relishes. Grind em down...

Still Vihari's gentle off-breaks after the drinks. When I say gentle, imagine Winnie the Pooh after a couple of gins. England gather and accumulate, Joe Root smiles and breathes hard. Cook moves towards 150.

Sunil Gavaskar
Former India captain on BBC Test Match Special

Alastair Cook and Joe Root stamped their authority on the India bowlers before the tourists could even get going.

And now England are all over India.

Image source, PA

It's incredibly curious to think that this will be the last time we see Alastair Cook bat in Test cricket. The man has been omnipresent for 12 years. It's also strange that this last knock is no longer the top-of-the-order, backs-to-the-wall struggle. It's almost as if Cook is being rewarded for 161 Tests of graft. Drinks. Cook is on the champagne.

Rolex Tharsus: Warks vs Durham 1994. Only went on the first day when Durham batted. Saw a John Morris double ton. Brian Lara scored a few on days 2-4 I'm told.

Ah, a rare sighting of Kohli. He's waving a white flag. Or, rather, bringing Hanuma Vihari into the attack. Root hoiks into the deep on the leg side. England are pushing against an open door here.

Daniel Norcross
Test Match Special commentator

England might want a lead of 450 but I'd say 400 is fine, which isn't that far away now.

Thanks for being with us, Jez. Good summer? You know how I said India were being optimistic with that leg slip for Jadeja to Cook? He's been sent somewhere more useful. Programme selling, I think. The tourists are down and out. I haven't seen Virat Kohli for ages.

For just a moment, the tension and drama has gone from the contest. Yes, the loveliness from an English perspective is to be enjoyed, but we're waiting for the contest to resume. Before that happens, we'll have an eardrum-bursting reception for Alastair Cook. We're just waiting to see how many he gets...

Steve Elsom: Went to see the first Test at the new Sir Vivian Richard stadium and it was abandoned after 30 minutes. Authorities aimed to get the game on at the Recreation Ground. An MCC member said to me ‘not a chance’... so I flew home and they played the match! Still gutted.

India are nothing if not optimistic. The leg slip that Jadeja is employing to Cook is no more in the game than the barman pulling pints in the pavilion. If anything, he's just got a the best seat in the house for a slice of history. He won't be taking a catch.

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

I was playing when Brian Lara hit the then-record 375, beating Garry Sobers' 365.

Once Lara had got about 15, Mike Atherton came up to me after I'd finished an over and said: "He's batting well today. I fancy him to break the record."

I said: "He's got another 350-odd to go skipper!"

But he's a bright boy that Athers.

Image source, Getty Images

Mohammed Shami is lying face down, just over the boundary rope, having a cold towel applied to his back. It's similar to what I have to do for my pregnant partner, just not in front of 18,000 people. She is also no good at bowling fast. However, I bet Shami has moaned less about having to bowl Ishant's overs than my Mrs has about being with child.

Dan: Cook to finish as the leading English run scorer in the series?

Nick Plummer: Cook tells us he's got nothing left in the tank. He failed to mention he has a reserve tank...

Greg Boon: Is there even a small chance that Cook will reconsider? That he will see how good a player he is? The mental strength is still there.

Jadeja goes round the wicket, Cook edging past the sole slip fielder. Catchable height, but wide of the dive from Rahane. India are wondering what time their flight leaves.

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator

Joe Root might have a ticklish decision to make if Alastair Cook is 175 not out at the point he starts thinking about declaring.