The floodlights are on at Durham and there are sizeable pockets of slightly disappointed India fans who were hoping to see Sooryavanshi. Here comes Harry Brook, leading England onto the field only two days after he lost the Test series with England in that chaotic emotional last day and a bit.

Tanya here, just sitting in for Jim briefly. Do contact me on tanya.aldred.freelance@guardian.co.uk if you have any thoughts. Doesn’t look too hot at Chester le Street today and there might be a spot of rain about.

Elsewhere, this week’s Spin column written by some eejit:

Root’s early evening ramp off Nathan Smith on Saturday was a beautiful, even emotional moment. Here was the sensible man on the stag do with his top off, dancing on the bar. Here was Root, for one last time the Sundance Kid to Stokes’s Butch Cassidy, joining his partner in running head first into a hail of bullets. Anything for you, old pal.

Root is now the only player who survives from that first Bazball Test at Lord’s in 2022. Further still, he’s seen Cook, Anderson, Broad and now Stokes leave the scene. But he will play on, shepherding new faces with a half an eye on Sachin in the distance. England have one all-time great remaining. His best mate departing in a blaze, Joe Root stands alone among the embers.”

Good news for England ahead of their huge semi-final match against South Africa tomorrow:

Find out more about India’s 16 year old batting marvel:

I suppose we just crack on with more cricket eh?

Ben Stokes may have departed the international scene in a Nottingham blaze a matter of days ago but the circus heads to Durham with a different captain (soon to be the captain?) different opponents and a different coloured ball.

So begins a five-match T20I series against India that will attract plenty of eyeballs around the world, some might even be tuning in for the action on the field.

Will India play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – The Six Hittin’ Kid – after leaving the teenage phenomenon on the bench against Ireland? That didn’t go so well for the boys in blue, Ireland pulled off a historic 2-0 series sweep on home turf. Beware the wounded tiger?

I have hunch we may well see India field their youngest ever international player at Chester-le-Street this evening, beware in the stands!

Play begins at 5.30pm, we’ll have the toss and confirmed teams at 5pm. Please do get in touch, there’s plenty to discuss, isn’t there?