ENG vs IND 3rd Test: Virat Kohli wins the toss and opts to bat first, R Ashwin still not included

The third of the five-match Test series saw Virat Kohli finally winning the toss and opting to bat first at Headingley in Leeds. The Indian skipper has lost the toss in each of his eight Tests as the India captain in England. 

Team India goes unchanged into the third clash and R Ashwin is still not part of the game. "We thought about getting Ashwin in, and the pressure of the extra seamer in these conditions is crucial," Kohli said at the toss.

England are without the services of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes, and now to add to the list is Mark Wood. However, when Virat Kohli was told at the pre-match press conference that these circumstances could be India's "best chance," he replied saying, "Does that depend on the strength of their team?"

As for the Three Lions, their skipper Joe Root has top-scored in all four innings so far. He has scored 28.64% of England's runs so far in 2021. They have now made two changes as Malan comes in for Sibley and Overton comes in for Wood.

India hasn't played in Headingley since 2002.

Teams:

England (Playing XI): Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler(w), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Toss & Team Update from Headingley!#TeamIndia have elected to bat against England in the third #ENGvIND Test.

Follow the match https://t.co/FChN8SDsxh

Here's India's Playing XI pic.twitter.com/f7SSVgHInj

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 25, 2021

This is only the fourth time in 64 Tests that Virat Kohli has gone ahead with an unchanged playing XI in successive Tests.

Ind vs Eng Trent Bridge & Southampton 2018

Ind vs WI North Sound & Kingston in 2019

Ind vs Ban Indore & Kolkata in 2019/20

Ind vs Eng Lord's & Leeds 2021 *