England have named three uncapped bowlers in their squad for the five match Test series in India which begins in January 2024.
Pace bowler Gus Atkinson was selected in the Test squad for the first time along with spinner Tom Hartley, while 20-year-old off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was selected for international selection for the first time. Rehan Ahmed is also back in the team after making his successful Test debut for Pakistan last year and taking five wickets.
Olly Pope and Jack Leach also returned to the friendly squad after being sidelined due to injury. Leach suffered a stress fracture ahead of the 2023 Ashes series, while Pope dislocated his shoulder in the second Test against Australia at Lord’s.
Atkinson’s appointment follows his participation in the England squad for the 2023 World Cup and the West Indies series. He played in four matches in England’s disastrous World Cup defence, taking six wickets in the tournament. In the Caribbean, Atkinson took his two wickets in each of his three ODI matches for England.
Hartley played for England in an ODI series against Ireland in late summer 2023, when no players were selected for the World Cup. He joined Leach as the group’s left-arm finger spinner and took 40 wickets in 20 first-class appearances, averaging 36.57.
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Bashir signed his first professional contract with Somerset last year, joining the team after making just six first-class appearances. In these appearances, he took his 10 wickets and averaged 67.0.
Another takeaway from the team is the awarding of a place to Ben Foakes, who has not played a Test match since England’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year.
The England India series will begin in Hyderabad on January 25 and conclude in Dharamsala in early March 2023.
England vs. Indians: 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.
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