England keep faith with Pope for first India Test as Bethell misses out

2 weeks ago 4

England have kept faith with Ollie Pope, left out Jacob Bethell and recalled seam bowlers Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse for the first Test against India at Headingley.

Pope has been retained at No 3 for the Leeds Test, live on Sky Sports from Friday (11am first ball), after scoring 171 in the innings thrashing of Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May.

Bethell missed that match while on IPL duty for Royal Challengers Bengaluru but an impressive start to his England career had led to calls for him to be immediately restored.

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England XI for first India Test

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (vice-captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir

Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket from Friday June 20 (11am first ball)

The 21-year-old looked assured while scoring three fifties from the No 3 position in New Zealand over the winter and also shone in the recent white-ball games versus West Indies, most notably with a 53-ball 82 in the first one-day international.

Bethell's left-arm spin may also have been a useful option with the scorching temperatures likely to produce a dry pitch but vice-captain Pope has been given the nod.

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Take a look at the best shots from Jacob Bethell's brilliant 82 from 53 balls against West Indies in the first ODI

Opener Zak Crawley, another player Bethell could potentially have dislodged, will partner Ben Duckett at the top of the order with the only changes coming in the pace attack.

Woakes and Carse return as Cook and injured Atkinson drop out

Fit-again Woakes and Carse, who missed the Zimbabwe Test with ankle and toe issues respectively, replace Sam Cook and the injured Gus Atkinson with Carse to play his first home Test after 27 wickets across five matches in Pakistan and New Zealand this winter.

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England fast bowler Brydon Carse discusses what it would mean for him to play his first home Test against India at Headingley

Atkinson is still recovering from a hamstring problem he sustained against Zimbabwe while Cook is left out after an indifferent Test debut in which he took just the one wicket.

Woakes and Carse - who said on Wednesday that there have been discussions about him taking the new ball in Atkinson's absence - will join Josh Tongue and captain Ben Stokes in the fast-bowling group, with Shoaib Bashir as the spinner.

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England spinner Shoaib Bashir has praised the role captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have played in his development

Pace-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton is the other member of the initial 14-player squad, along with Bethell and Cook, to miss out on selection for the series opener.

The Headingley Test begins a huge period for England with the five-match series at home to Shubman Gill's men followed by an Ashes tour to Australia, starting at Perth's Optus Stadium on November 21.

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Michael Atherton believes there are questions marks about Australia's batting order ahead of the Ashes which should give England optimism

The second India Test is at Edgbaston from July 2 ahead of further matches at Lord's (from July 10), Emirates Old Trafford (from July 23) and The Kia Oval (from July 31), with every game live on Sky Sports.