Team India and England will clash in the fourth Test of the five-match Pataudi Trophy 2018 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. England currently leads the series 2-1 after wins in the Edgbaston and Lord’s Tests.

India managed to win one back after a clinical performance in the Nottingham Test match, which they won by 203 runs. History beckons Virat Kohli led Team India to emulate Sir Don Bradman’s Australian team of 1936-37 Ashes series, which remains the only team to win a five-match Test series after being 0-2 down.

India themselves have been 0-2 down in a five-match series twice in the past. Once against West Indies in 1974 at home and once against the Australians in 1977 away; but they managed to draw level by winning the next two Test matches.

England has already announced their playing XI by bringing back Sam Curran and Moeen Ali in the team in place of injured Chris Woakes and Ollie Pope. India is yet to announce their playing XI, but it is most likely that they might make a change or two keeping the tradition of not playing the same XI.

India needs to win this Test match to stay afloat in the series and have a chance to win the series in the next Test. They have made some harsh decisions in sending back veteran opener M Vijay, after his twin failures in Lord’s and Kuldeep Yadav, who got a wrong call at Lord’s. Their replacements Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari will have an experience of a lifetime in the Indian dressing room and may also get to play given Virat’s policy of changing playing XIs.

Toss:

England have won the toss and have opted to bat

Playing XIs:

England - Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow, Stokes, Jos Buttler (w), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

India : Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah