For the first time in 38 Test matches, Virat Kohli might go in with an unchanged side for two consecutive matches. There were injury concerns over R Ashwin, but the captain declared him fit which means that all 11 players that played at Nottingham are fit enough to be selected again.
"We don't feel we need to change anything," Kohli said on the eve of the match.
Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul looked more assured at Nottingham and although they did not set the stands on fire, they did enough to see off the new ball and forge a good opening partnership right at the outset. This not only shielded the middle order from the new ball but also gave them another opportunity to go one better at Southampton.
Ashwin is fit to play
Ashwin was in discomfort back in Trent Bridge and left the field on a number of occasions, but Kohli was confident about his availability.
"Everyone is fit to start tomorrow. Ashwin has recovered nicely. He had a good practice session yesterday and he is good to go," the captain said.
Back in 2014, India went into the Southampton Test after having won at Lord's, but then squandered the lead and went down 3-1 in the series and the captain is aware of all this.
"Right now we are in a very exciting position. To have played like that when 2-0 down, everyone thought it is going to be clean sweep, we're going to get rolled over," he said.
Kohli wants his team to be ruthless and not to ease the pressure on the hosts. He wants his team not to be satisfied with only one win, but to look at the bigger picture and to be guarded against England as even they would hit back harder.
"We spoke about being ruthless, relentless and capitalising on those important moments, which we did in Nottingham. We've to do that two more times to achieve the goal we want to, and not be satisfied with one victory. If Nottingham was hard work, this is going to be harder because England would want to come back strong," the captain said.
