England have picked four spinners and one fast bowler, with Tom Hartley set for his Test debut in the opening match against India starting Thursday.
The tourists opted for speedster Mark Wood ahead of veteran quick James Anderson, who is 10 away from 700 Test wickets, at the start of the five-match series in Hyderabad.
Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach returned to the team after having not been part of the team’s last Test against Australia at The Oval last summer.
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It’s the first time since 1962 that England has gone into a Test with just one frontline seamer, per The Telegraph chief cricket correspondent Nick Hoult.
Fox Cricket broadcaster Harsha Bhogle said “I must admit I’m a little surprised” England opted to go with three spinners.
“With Mark Wood being the impact quickie bowling in short bursts, and no other seamer to call on, it will be a lot of work for three spinners, two of are fairly inexperienced,” Bhogle wrote on X. “Clearly, they have read the pitch as a big, early turner. I thought Anderson with swing early on and reverse later with Root as the 3rd spinner would be the way England would go.”
Hartley, a 24-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner, will play his first Test for England after taking 40 wickets at 36.57 from just first-class matches.
He’ll work with fellow left-armer Leach and 19-year-old right-arm leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who made his Test debut in Pakistan just over 12 months ago.
England will be without star middle-order Harry Brook, who left the tour of India and returned home “with immediate effect for personal reasons”.
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Wicket-keeper Ben Foakes has come into the team to take the gloves off Jonny Bairstow, who’ll move up the order and play as a specialist batter.
Lawrence is expected to arrive in India on Monday but England are now likely to play both wicketkeepers, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, in the first Test, rather than choosing between them
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach
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