England will be without Gus Atkinson and Jofra Archer for the first Test against India, but the team has brought back Jamie Overton — a name long absent from red-ball cricket.
Overton, who played his only Test nearly three years ago, is set for a possible return to the whites as England finalizes its squad for the opening Test. The fast-bowling all-rounder has been included in the 14-man squad announced on Thursday for the match starting June 20 at Headingley.
It was at Headingley in June 2022 that Overton made his sole Test appearance, facing New Zealand. He picked up one wicket in each innings and impressed with the bat, scoring a vital 97 while batting at No. 8.
With Gus Atkinson yet to recover from a hamstring injury, the 31-year-old Overton has been handed another opportunity. Although he has featured in only three County Championship matches since the start of last season, he had recently returned to action before fracturing a finger, ruling him out of the ongoing white-ball series against West Indies.
Jofra Archer, who continues to struggle with a troublesome thumb, will also miss the first Test. Meanwhile, England will be without Mark Wood and Ollie Stone for the entire series as both are sidelined with knee injuries.
Veteran pacer Chris Woakes returns to the squad after recovering from an ankle injury that kept him out of the four-day match against Zimbabwe. Jacob Bethell, who missed that match due to IPL commitments, is also available for the India series.
Young pacer Sam Cook, who made his debut in the Zimbabwe Test, retains his spot. England have also recalled Josh Tongue, who had missed the 2024 season so far due to injury.
Much has changed since England last faced India in a Test series. Eighteen months ago, they were beaten 4-1 on Indian soil. Since then, several veterans have stepped away — most notably, legendary fast bowler James Anderson. Others who featured in that series, like Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Ollie Robinson, are also absent from the current squad.
India, too, will look very different this time. In a clear sign of transition, the visitors will tour England under the captaincy of Shubman Gill. They will be without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin — all of whom have retired from Test cricket.
The five-match series kicks off at Headingley, followed by Tests at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.
England squad for 1st Test vs India
Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Chris Woakes, Josh Tongue, Sam Cook, Shoaib Bashir.
