England Announce Squad For First 2 Tests Against India; Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes Back in Squad

The England Cricket Board (ECB), on Thursday (January 21) has announced squad for the first two Tests of the series against India. The English selectors have brought stars Jofra Archer, Rory Burns and Ben Stokes back into the squad as they want no risk while playing for World Test Championship.

Archer and Stokes were rested for the Sri Lanka series and Burns was at home for the birth of his first child. The England National Selectors named a total 16-member squad and six travelling reserves for the first and second Test matches against India starting on Friday February 5 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

Surrey’s Ollie Pope will travel to India and will be added to the squad when passed fit. Pope is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in September during the Test series against Pakistan.

The touring party will also miss out on services of Jonny Bairstow, young all-rounder Sam Curran and Mark Wood as they have been rested for the series.

The England team is currently on a tour of Sri Lanka and are yet to play the last match of the two-match Test series.

The 4-Test series between India and England will start from February 5. The first and second Test matches will be played in Chennai. The second Test match will start on 13 February. After this, there will be a day-night test from February 24 at the new Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad and the last Test of the series will be played on this ground on March 4. After the Test series, the five-match T20 series will begin from March 12. Finally, a 3-match ODI series will be held from 23 March.

England Men’s Test Squad:

Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

Reserves:

James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi