Alastair Cook, unbeaten overnight on 46, walked to a roaring reception by the crowd at the Oval on Day 4.

Root offered a tough chance to first slip, and was dropped on 46 by Ajinkya Rahane. Ravindra Jadeja was the bowler.

India slugged through a wicket-less first session on the flattest pitch in the series, with both Cook and Joe Root going on to make half-centuries.

Alastair Cook went on to register his 33rd Test hundred in his last Test, matching up to his debut act against India in Nagpur.

On a day for the statisticians, Cook also racked the most runs by a left-handed batsman in Test cricket, going past Kumar Sangakkara's tally of 12400 runs.

Root was dropped again on 94, this time by Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip.

Riding on luck and a deflated Indian bowling attack, Root went on to register his 14th hundred in Test cricket.

The Indians rushed in to congratulate Alastair Cook after Hanuma VIhari accounted for the centurions off successive deliveries.

Alastair Cook walked into the sunset after finishing with 12,472 Test runs in 291 innings at an average of 45-35 with 33 hundreds and 57 half-centuries

England lost wickets in pursuit of quick runs before they set India a target of 464.

James Anderson rattled India by dismissing Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara early.

There was more joy for the England camp as Stuart Broad dismissed Virat Kohli for a first-ball duck.