Southampton, Aug 29 (IANS) England selectors on Wednesday recalled all-rounders Moeen Ali and Sam Curran for the fourth Test against India, starting at the Rose Bowl cricket ground on Thursday.
Curran will replace Chris Woakes, who has a thigh issue while Moeen will play his first Test of the summer in place of off-colour batsman Ollie Pope.
Regular stumper Jonny Bairstow will play as a specialist batsman after sustaining a broken finger during the third Test at Trent Bridge, which means Jos Buttler will take the wicketkeeping gloves.
"Chris Woakes is not fit to play this week and Ben Stokes has a slight issue so for the balance of the side Moeen Ali comes in for Ollie Pope," England skipper Joe Root said while announcing the playing XI.
"Jos Buttler is going to keep. It's a lot to ask Jonny to do it with a broken finger, but he's fit to bat. We have to do the best thing for this team to win the game. There are no guarantees in international sport.
"Moeen Ali has done exactly what you'd want him to do, he's been scoring runs and taking wickets in county cricket and should be full of confidence. We've bounced back from difficult defeats before and that's the challenge for us to do it again here," he added.
England XI for 4th Test vs India: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (Captain), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (WK), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
