England vs India 2018: India's predicted XI for the 4th Test

After a weak long break, the caravan of the Specsavers Test series moves to The Ageas Bowl in Southampton with hosts England looking to halt India's surge after suffering a 203-run shellacking at Trent Bridge last week.

England will come to Southampton with some heartening memories. Last time when they met India at the Ageas Bowl, they were coming off a 95-run loss at Lord's and then went on to beat the Men in Blue by 266 runs thanks to Alastair Cook's 95 & 70. Four years on, Cook finds himself in a similar situation (80 runs in six innings) and England will hope their talisman steps up to the challenge.

England has roped in Moeen Ali and Sam Curran in their squad in place of Ollie Pope and injured Chris Woakes. Jonny Bairstow has been declared fit but will only feature in the side as a specialist batsman with Jos Buttler donning the keeping gloves.

So, what about India then? Virat Kohli in his 38-Test tenure has not fielded the same eleven in two consecutive Test matches; will Southampton be the first ever occasion?

Here's a look at the XI that India will most likely field at Southampton:-

Openers

Shikhar Dhawan & KL Rahul

Shikhar Dhawan & KL Rahul

After juggling around with Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul, India finally seem to have got an answer to their opening conundrum with Dhawan and Rahul putting up successive fifty-plus stands at Nottingham.

Although both Dhawan and Rahul gave it away in both innings after getting starts, the duo blunted out the opening threat of Anderson and Broad giving their middle-order a much-needed cushion.

With Vijay dropped from the squad for the remaining two Tests in favor of Prithwi Shaw, India will most likely go in with the Dhawan-Rahul combination at the Ageas Bowl and expect an encore of Trent Bridge from the duo.

Middle Order

#2 Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c) and Ajinkya Rahane

Match defining partnership

When Pujara played the most un-Pujara like shot to hole out at deep square leg prior to Lunch on the first morning, it looked like nothing could go right for India's No 3 on this tour. But with India racking up a mammoth lead in the first innings, Pujara came in with a cushion during the second essay.

He batted with much more intent when he came out and raced past 20 in no time courtesy vintage drives off Adil Rashid before playing attritional cricket against the likes of Anderson and Woakes to get to a much-needed half-century. He may have missed out on a century but he'd done enough to retain his place in the middle-order for Southampton.

In at No.4 will be India's captain Virat Kohli. When faced with adversity, Kohli is at his menacing best. After under-par performances at Lord's the Indian captain came back with aplomb as he notched up 200 runs in the match; the 10th time he's done as a captain. His 97 in the first innings came at a time when India was reeling at 3-80.

He, along with Ajinkya Rahane, who returned to form with a pristine 81 in the first innings took India out of a precarious position with a 150 plus partnership.

Rahane coming into form would have buoyed Kohli and the team management. The Indian vice-captain looked at his fluent best in the first innings and at times outscored Kohli. He will once again be the bedrock of India's middle-order at Southampton.

Wicket-keeper & All-rounder

#3 Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya

Pandya and Pant

Seven catches and a Brobdingnagian six to get to your first Test runs, Rishab Pant had a game to remember at Nottingham and is expected to do the wicket-keeping duties at Southampton.

All the questions surrounding Hardik Pandya's role in the Test side were squashed with disdain by the all-rounder as he notched up the eventual match-winning five-wicket haul in the first innings to give India a lead in excess of 150. Pandya backed it up with the bat as well with an unbeaten fifty in the second innings to complete what was a perfect game for the all-rounder.

Spinner & Fast bowlers

#4 Ravi Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Ishant Sharma

Bumrah celebrates after dismissing Buttler

Ravi Ashwin bowled through injury in the second innings of the Trent Bridge Test and rightfully claimed the last wicket of Jamie Anderson. Ashwin participated in the training sessions on both days prior to the Test match and is expected to feature in the team as the lone spinner. Ashwin averages

India was buoyed by the return of Jasprit Bumrah in their side and the fast bowler reminded everyone why he is the cornerstone of India's bowling. Bumrah bowled consistently over the 140 kph barrier and was instrumental in getting the crucial wicket of Jos Buttler. Bumrah then en-route to his third five-wicket haul (5-85) bounced out Chris Woakes with a ripsnorter; one of the rare occasion for an Indian fan.

Bumrah will partner Ishant Sharma (11 wickets at 27.27), who may not have picked up fifers like Pandya and Bumrah, but the enigmatic fast bowler was at his relentless best especially against Cook, claiming the English opener for the 11th time.

Mohammad Shami will round-up the fast-bowling unit. Shami has thus far taken eight wickets in three matches and has at times bowled incisive spells. But, the right-hander has been inconsistent with his line and lengths and has conceded too many boundary balls especially in the last Test. With Virat Kohli hinting at an unchanged XI ahead of the Test, Shami will have another chance to put up a consistent performance.