There is no place for James Anderson in the spin-heavy playing XI announced by the England national men's cricket team for the first Test against India, starting January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. Ben Stokes and Co have gone in with Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley as their frontline spin options and included Mark Wood as the lone pacer. (IND Vs ENG 1st Test Streaming | More Cricket News)
Left-arm slow orthodox bowler Hartley will thus make his Test debut for England on Indian shores. Hartley has so far bagged 40 wickets from 20 first-class appearances at an average of 36.57.
In addition to to three specialist tweakers, Joe Root is also a handy part-time option for the visitors. Skipper Stokes, meanwhile, is unlikely to bowl in the series owing to his knee surgery.
Middle-order batter Ollie Pope, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, Ahmed and Leach all come into the English side having not been involved in their last Test against Australia at The Oval last summer.
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Meanwhile, 20-year-old Shoaib Bashir, the fourth spinner in the squad, was unavailable for selection as he is yet to travel to India, having not received his visa yet. Bashir flew back to the United Kingdom from Abu Dhabi, where England's squad had been training, to try and speed up the process.
Stokes said he was absolutely "devastated" that rookie off-spinner Bashir's arrival in India for the five-Test series has been delayed. "I didn't want this type of situation to be his first experience of what it's like to be in the England Test team. Especially for a young lad, I'm devastated for him," Stokes said on Tuesday.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (Captain), Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Rehan Ahmed, Mark Wood, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach
