Kohli hints at playing unchanged XI

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R Ashwin has recovered from his hip injury and is fit to play the fourth Test against England, said Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who hinted that he would field an unchanged side on Thursday after changing the playing XI in each of the last 38 Tests.

India have chopped and changed their teams for the last 45 Tests, with Kohli fielding 38 combinations in as many Tests.

"Everyone is fit to start on Thursday. Ashwin has recovered nicely. He had a good practice session on Tuesday. He is good to go," Kohli told reporters.

"It has not always been the case of (making random) changes. There have been injuries as well, which have not been taking in to consideration. It has been a mix of both. Seeing the way things are right now we don't feel we need to change anything."

lagging 0-2, India managed to make a comeback in the five-Test series with a 203-run win in the third Test at Nottingham and Kohli urged his side to work hard and carry the winning momentum into the fourth Test.

"We probably didn't have the experience to capitalize on the lead (1-0 after win at lord's) is how I see things four years down the line," he said, reflecting on India's tour of England in 2014.

"Right now we understand that we are in a very exciting position to have gained momentum at the right time in the series. To have played like that when 2-nil down, when everyone thought that it is going to be a clean sweep or we are going to be rolled over."

A green top has been prepared for this fourth Test, which should work to the strengths of the Indian pacers.

While, England captain Joe Root said comeback-man Ben Stokes is not fully fit to carry out his complete bowling responsibilities, which has prompted the side to bring in Moeen Ali for the fourth Test.

"There's two changes to the team from last week. Sam Curran comes in for Chris Woakes - he's not fit to play this time around - and with Ben not being 100 per cent in terms of the amount he can bowl and the balance of the side, Moeen comes in for Ollie Pope," Root said in the pre-match press conference.

Root expressed confidence that his side will bounce back from the defeat suffered in Nottingham.

"We under-performed last week, that's the bottom line. We've done it time and time again before. And I don't expect anything less form the group this time as well," he added.

Daily Pioneer
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