One of the best Test series in years took another twist at The Oval with India's brilliant last-day victory.
The visitors took all 10 wickets on the final day to claim a 157-run victory and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series with one to play.
Sportsmail's experts — former England captain Nasser Hussain, former England coach David Lloyd, cricket correspondent Paul Newman and Wisden editor Lawrence Booth — answer the big questions ahead of Friday's final Test at Old Trafford.
Joe Root's men trail 2-1 in the five-match series against India heading into the final Test
How can England square the series?
Nasser Hussain: Take their catches. It's hard enough to get 20 wickets in a Test, let alone 25 or 26. And be more ruthless with the bat.
They got into a good position in the first innings at The Oval and didn't get the lead they should have because of soft dismissals.
Pick a varied bowling attack and use the spinner more — Moeen Ali is now the third highest English Test wicket-taking spinner!
David Lloyd: Just as they came back strong at Headingley after losing at Lord's, so they have to again. What did Iain Dowie call it? Bouncebackability.
They have to revamp the performance and spirit of the team.
There's a real toughness about India that's absent from England. When India are in a corner they're like tigers, but England are too nicey-nicey.
Rory Burns and Co must take their catches and be more ruthless when batting at Old Trafford
Paul Newman: Could they be hoping to do it by bringing in Jos Buttler and Jack Leach and leaving out the two most messed around cricketers of our age —Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali?
It looks that way from the squad named for Old Trafford. It's a shame Saqib Mahmood isn't fit, because with Mark Wood he could have brought pace, energy and reverse swing to a tired attack.
Leg spinner Matt Parkinson might have been an option on his home ground.
Lawrence Booth: England must wise up. Their cricket was so scrappy at The Oval, where they repeatedly failed to respond to crucial moments, dropped too many catches and missed run-out chances.
India looked so much more switched on. In the right conditions, England's seamers can still make life hard for them.
It's a shame Saqib Mahmood isn't fit, because he could have brought pace and energy
Should Buttler come straight back?
Lloyd: I assume he's going to get the gloves back straight away. Otherwise, why would he be back in the squad? Maybe they told Jonny Bairstow he was only going to have them for one game.
Jonny didn't do much wrong at The Oval but he didn't command. There's a good chance Bairstow goes out of the team now.
Hussain: I would find it difficult to leave out Pope or Bairstow and that's the only way I could see him playing.
I would have told Jos to spend more time with his family out of the bubble because there's a lot of cricket ahead, hopefully including the Ashes.
Jos Buttler missed the 157-run defeat by India at the Oval to attend the birth of his second child
Booth: No, for three reasons. One, he hasn't scored more than 25 in three Tests this summer.
Two, Bairstow has been messed around too often and deserves one last chance to show he can be the Test keeper.
Three, Pope made 81 at the Oval. There is also the question of Buttler's long-term commitment to Test cricket, which seems to be unhelpfully hanging over Root's team.
Newman: There is a huge question mark over Buttler making himself available for Australia so why is he coming back? I
