Jamie Overton has returned to England’s Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return.
Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat.
It remains to be seen whether the allrounder will be fully fit to take the field at Headingley on June 20, having broken the little finger on his right hand during the recent ODIs against West Indies, but he has been given every chance to prove his fitness.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has said the 31-year-old will be “assessed and reviewed daily” by its medical team, who have already ruled Overton’s Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson (hamstring) out of the match.
In his absence, England have further bolstered their pace bowling stocks with comebacks for fit-again pair Woakes and Carse.
Woakes, who faces the tourists with England Lions in Northampton over the next four days, could edge out Sam Cook, who retains his place after a quiet debut against Zimbabwe.
Carse, meanwhile, is in line for his first home cap after impressing over the winter in Pakistan and New Zealand.
A thornier selection dilemma concerns Bethell, the 21-year-old rising star who is back from IPL duty and placing pressure on the top three.
Bethell confirmed his status as an outstanding prospect with a highly-accomplished series against West Indies and has already shown an aptitude for the cut and thrust of the Test arena on the New Zealand tour.
Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath.
ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS:
Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
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