Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Once that live grass gets burned off I think it will be a good track, a belter. I think England have the tools, seven people who could potentially bowl - and a couple of wicketkeepers!

India captain Virat Kohli: "We would have batted first as well - it looks hard and it's probably the best pitch of the series.

"We have an unchanged side. It's not always been the case, but it's the first time in a long that time that we're going with the XI. We had all bases covered so we don't need to change. Ashwin is fit and ready to go.

"They key now is to work even harder than Nottingham and put it another performance again."

As we knew, England make two changes from the side beaten at Trent Bridge. Sam Curran returns for Chris Woakes, who has a quad injury, while Moeen Ali comes in for Ollie Pope after a double ton for Worcestershire and to help the balance with Ben Stokes carrying a niggle that could restrict his over.

Jonny Bairstow is to bat, but not to keep, after breaking his finger in the third Test so Jos Buttler will have the gloves.

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

India are unchanged for the first time under Virat Kohli, with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin having recovered from a hip injury.

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

England captain Joe Root: "Conditions look good, it looks a good pitch and hopefully we can take advantage of what looks like a good surface. Chris Woakes is unfit so Sam Curran comes in and because Ben has an injury Mooen comes in for the balance of the side. To win a series in five or six weeks you are going to have to rely on a squad and it's an opportunity for him to continue his good recent form."

It looks a fine pitch for batting on. England captain Joe Root wins the toss and duly elects to bat first.

Image source, Getty Images

Toss and full team news to follow in the next few minutes...

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

I'm getting a word that India are unchanged for the first time in 45 Tests.

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

It's a lovely warm day, the clouds are moving away, it feels like a good day for batting.

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Virat Kohli will probably once again be England's main obstacle to victory here.

The India captain has hit two centuries in the series and looks to overcome the technical flaws that saw his struggle here four years ago. How will James Anderson and the rest of the England attack fare against him at the Ageas Bowl?

Kohli himself reckons India have "gained momentum at the right time" in the series."

"Last time around we probably didn't have the experience to capitalise on the lead. Right now we understand that we are in a very exciting position."

Four years ago, India came to Southampton 1-0 up in the series after two Tests only to lose the next three.

Alastair Cook was in poor form and under pressure to score runs and duly obliged, hitting 95 and 70 not out as England won by 266 runs.

Four years later, Cook averages just 19.21 this year and needs runs here. Will history repeat?

Mind you, Gary Ballance scored 156 in that Test, so it wouldn't be an exact repetition.

Remember those long, hot days earlier in the summer? When England went 2-0 up against India with a tense win at Edgbaston followed by a crushing victory at Lord's?

Then the tourists offered a reminder of why they are the world's number one side by winning at Trent Bridge to leave England fans with that most familiar of questions...

Why can't England bat?

That said, Jos Buttler showed the way with his maiden Test century and Ben Stokes dug in as part of a fine partnership that briefly defied India after that woeful first-innings collapse.

Joe Root says his side are hungry for runs, but will they feast in Southampton? Or can India level the series?