Tom Hartley will make his Test debut as one of three spinners as England took a major selection gamble for their series opener against India in Hyderabad.
Hartley, the Lancashire left-armer, joins the established Jack Leach and teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed in an attack that suggests the tourists expect lavish turn.
Mark Wood has been picked as the only seam bowler in the side, meaning England’s record wicket-taker James Anderson sits out.
With Wood operating best in short, rapid bursts, England are ready to embrace an entirely different rhythm of cricket. Joe Root’s off-breaks are also likely to feature heavily and Stokes has even suggested he could open the bowling with the part-timer.
Ben Foakes returns as wicketkeeper, with Jonny Bairstow reverting to a specialist batting role at number five.
Meanwhile, India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed sympathy for England’s Shoaib Bashir after visa complications delayed his arrival in the country.
Bashir, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, has experienced difficulty having his application approved and was forced to fly back to London from Abu Dhabi to resolve the issue, ruling him out of Thursday’s first Test.
Shoaib Bashir won’t feature in the first Test after visa issues
(Getty Images)
It is not the first time players with links to Pakistan have experienced hold-ups in India, with Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood and Australia opener Usman Khawaja among that number. The Pakistan Cricket Board wrote to the International Cricket Council late last year due to delays over visas for their World Cup squad.
England skipper Ben Stokes said on Tuesday he was “devastated” for the uncapped 20-year-old and his opposite number offered solidarity.
“I feel for him honestly,” said Sharma.“Unfortunately I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that but hopefully he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and plays some cricket as well.
“It’s not easy for anyone, it could be one of our guys wanting to come to England and being denied.”
England XI to face India in first Test
Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Bairstow, Stokes (C), Foakes, Amed, Hartley, Wood, Leach.
