Xtra Time Web Desk: England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has named a 15-player squad for the third Test match against India starting at Headingley on Wednesday. Yorkshire batsman Dawid Malan returns to the Test squad for the first time in three years. He last played Test cricket in August 2018 in England’s victory over India at Edgbaston. He will be looking to add to his 15 caps.
Batsmen Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley are omitted and will return to Kent and Warwickshire respectively, to spend some time playing. Somerset spinner Jack Leach will return to Taunton, but remains on standby as back-up to Moeen Ali.
The England medical team will monitor seamer Mark Wood’s injured right shoulder sustained at the end of day four during the second Test at Lord’s. It is expected that he will make a full recovery ahead of the Emerald Headingley Test.
England Men’s Head Coach, Chris Silverwood, said, “The Test series is beautifully poised, and we are relishing the prospect of aiming to bounce back at Emerald Headingley next week.
Speaking on Dawid Malan’d inclusion in test squad, Silverwood said, “Dawid Malan deserves his opportunity in the Test arena. He has a lot of experience across all formats and, if called upon, I am confident that he can come and do well on his home ground. In the limited time he has played first-class cricket this season, he has shown what he is capable of, scoring a highly accomplished 199 for Yorkshire against Sussex at Headingley in June.
Talking about Mark Wood’s shoulder injury, Silverwood said, “We are hopeful that Mark Wood will be fit after injuring his right shoulder in the second Test. Our medical team will be working with him each day. We will monitor where he is at when we get to Leeds.”
He added, “We also have the services of Saqib Mahmood, who has been brilliant across all formats this summer. He is confident, highly-skilled and will not be overawed if he is to make his Test debut. His temperament and attitude are suited to the international arena.”
The England Men’s Test squad will report to its Leeds base on Sunday.
England Men’s Third Test Squad
Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Haseeb Hameed (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
Craig Overton (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Mark Wood (Durham)