Table of Contents
For the upcoming Test series in India, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have officially disclosed their 16-member Men’s squad. The tour, set to kick off in January next year, will feature a challenging 5-match Test series against the formidable Indian side. Notably, England’s captain Ben Stokes, who recently underwent left knee surgery, is included in the squad, although his fitness to bowl remains uncertain.
Key inclusions and comebacks
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes stages a noteworthy return to the squad after being dropped for the Ashes series. Additionally, Jack Leach and Ollie Pope mark their comebacks, overcoming back and shoulder injuries sustained during the English summer. The squad also introduces uncapped off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, alongside left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who have previously represented England in limited-overs cricket.
Seam bowling composition and spin combination
The squad features only four frontline seamers, with James Anderson and Ollie Robinson complemented by the pace of Atkinson and Mark Wood. In the spin department, Bashir joins Rehan Ahmed, Leach and Hartley to form a diverse spin combination. Hartley, with a modest first-class record for Lancashire, and Bashir, who made his professional debut with Somerset in June, bring a mix of experience and promise to the spin arsenal.
Also READ: WI vs ENG – West Indies best playing XI for the T20I series against England
Notable omissions and prior commitments
Several notable players find themselves omitted from the squad, including Chris Woakes, Dan Lawrence, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks. Dawson and Jacks hold contracts for South Africa’s SA20, directly conflicting with the tour dates. Woakes, having expressed a focus on white-ball cricket, and Lawrence has been dropped for the India tour.
England Test squad for India tour:
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood
