Three uncapped bowlers have been picked by England in their team for the five-match Test series against India starting in January 2024. Along with spinner Tom Hartley, pace bowler Gus Atkinson has been called up for the first time in a Test match, and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, 20, has been selected for his first international team.
Following his impressive Test debut in Pakistan last year, where he claimed five wickets, Rehan Ahmed has also rejoined the team. After missing time due to injuries, Ollie Pope and Jack Leach are also returning in the Test match lineup. Before the 2023 Ashes series, Leach sustained a stress fracture, while Pope dislocated his shoulder during the second Test match at Lord’s against Australia.
England Test Squad vs India Announced
Atkinson’s call-up comes after he was selected for both the West Indies series and the 2023 World Cup squad. During the three lions’ dismal World Cup defense, he participated in four games and claimed six wickets. Atkinson took two wickets in each of England’s three One-Day Internationals while playing in the Caribbean.
Towards the conclusion of the summer of 2023, Hartley participated for England in their ODI series against Ireland, which they played without the players selected for the World Cup. He is a left-arm finger spinner who averages 36.57 and has taken 40 wickets in 20 first-class outings, joining Leach in the group.
Bashir, who signed his first professional deal with Somerset last year, had only played six first-class matches when he joined the team. He has claimed 10 wickets at an average of 67.0 in those matches. Ben Foakes, who hasn’t participated in a Test match since England toured New Zealand earlier this year, is another notable addition to the team.
The England series in India is scheduled to start in Hyderabad on January 25 and end in Dharamsala early in March 2023.
England Test squad for India: Ben Stokes (c), 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.
