England have confirmed their squad for the first two Tests of the three-match series against West Indies. (More Cricket News)
James Anderson will bring the curtain down on his stellar career after the first Test at Lord's, which starts on July 10
England have confirmed their squad for the first two Tests of the three-match series against West Indies. (More Cricket News)
James Anderson will bring the curtain down on his stellar career after the first Test at Lord's, which starts on July 10.
Anderson has taken 700 Test wickets, the most of any fast bowler in the history of the format.
But with the 41-year-old bowing out, England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum also have an eye on the future of their bowling attack.
Fast bowler Dillon Pennington and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith have earned their maiden call-ups, while Gus Atkinson could be in store for his first cap, after he was included in the squad that toured India earlier this year but did not feature.
Chris Woakes, meanwhile, returns to the fold for the first time in a Test squad since last year's Ashes, and Shoaib Bashir has got the nod over Jack Leach.
This squad will cover the second Test, at Trent Bridge, though a new selection is set to be made before the final match, which will start at Edgbaston on July 26.
Ollie Robinson, Ben Foakes, Jonny Bairstow, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have been left out, though the latter three have been involved in England's T20 World Cup campaign.
England squad for first two Tests: Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Dillon Pennington, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes.