'Should've played in Leeds, must play at Oval': Hussain suggests changes in India XI for fourth Test against England

Will R Ashwin play the fourth Test or not? This is currently the burning question of the ongoing India-England Test series. India's senior off-spinner was not included for the first three games but Nasser Hussain firmly believes that it is now time for Virat Kohli to make the necessary change in the fourth Test at Oval starting on Thursday.

As teams prepare for the start of the fourth Test, following India's defeat by an innings and 76 runs in the third at Headingley, former England captain opined that Ashwin could prove to be useful in helping India bounce back in the series.

“But what India do have is an off-spin bowler ranked No. 2 in the world and a batsman good enough to have made five Test centuries in Ravichandran Ashwin. He should have played at Headingley against England’s five left-handers and he must play at The Oval."

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According to Hussain, India could go with the possibility of adding another batsman to the top six with wicket-keeper Pant pushed to seven.

“So the most likely solution is that Ashwin will come in for a seamer, most likely Ishant Sharma who struggled at Headingley and join Ravindra Jadeja in a more balanced looking side with a deeper batting line-up as long as Jadeja recovers from his knee injury."

Ashwin last donned the whites for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand. Since then, he has been made to sit out as Kohli and management have stuck with the four pacers and one spinner template. However, the track at the Kennington Oval is likely to be the slowest of the series and with Ashwin's arsenal, India could well accomplish the desired fightback.