England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced the England Lions squad for the limited-overs and unofficial Test series in India early next year.
The selectors have recalled Ben Duckett whose last international assignment had ended in a controversial manner. The left-handed batsman was sent back home from Australia after pouring a drink over James Anderson’s head in a bar in Perth when the Lions met up with England’s Ashes squad.
The 24 year-old will be joined in ‘A Test’ squad by off-spinner Dom Bess and batsman Ollie Pope, who both made their Test debuts for England last summer.
Sam Billings, who captained the Lions in the UAE, Jamie Porter and Jamie Overton are also included in the red-ball squad while Bess, Surrey’s Amar Virdi and Sussex’s Danny Briggs will provide the spin threat on pitches which should give them plenty of assistance.
ECB have also given maiden calls to three players – Nottinghamshire all-rounder Zak Chappell and off-spinner Matthew Carter, and Lancashire seamer Tom Bailey.
India A will also host the Lions for five one-day games at home. All the matches will be played in Thiruvananthapuram between January 23-31. It will be followed by two unofficial Tests in Wayanad, starting on February 7 and 13.
England Lions 50-over Squad
- Dom Bess (Somerset)
- Sam Billings (Kent)
- Danny Briggs (Sussex)
- Matthew Carter (Nottinghamshire)
- Zak Chappell (Nottinghamshire)
- Joe Clarke (Nottinghamshire)
- Alex Davies (Lancashire)
- Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
- Lewis Gregory (Somerset)
- Sam Hain (Warwickshire)
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Yorkshire)
- Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
- Jamie Overton (Somerset)
- Ollie Pope (Surrey)
- Jamie Porter (Essex)
England Lions A Test squad
- Tom Bailey (Lancashire)
- Dom Bess (Somerset)
- Sam Billings (Kent)
- Danny Briggs (Sussex)
- Zak Chappell (Nottinghamshire)
- Joe Clarke (Nottinghamshire)
- Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
- Lewis Gregory (Somerset)
- Sam Hain (Warwickshire)
- Max Holden (Middlesex)
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Yorkshire)
- Jamie Overton (Somerset)
- Ollie Pope (Surrey)
- Jamie Porter (Essex)
- Amar Virdi (Surrey)