Ben Stokes To Lead England Squad for 1st Test Against India; Star Pacer Ruled Out

England has announced their squad for the first Test match against India, which is set to begin on June 20 at Leeds, Headingley. The big surprise is the return of the bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton, who replaces his Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Apart from Overton, youngster Jacob Bethell also returns to the squad after missing the Test against Zimbabwe due to his IPL assignments. Bethell was impressive in his debut Test series against New Zealand and had staked a claim at the No. 3 spot in the Test team. However, he might have to look at another spot, with the vice-captain Ollie Pope likely to take that spot against India.

Ben Stokes To Lead 14-Man Squad

All-rounder Ben Stokes will lead the squad, with Ollie Pope retaining his place as the vice-captain. With Jamie Smith likely to take up the wicketkeeping duties, Pope is likely to bat at No. 3 instead of batting lower down the order. Overall, the England Squad For 1st Test vs India is a good blend of youth and experience and is very capable of doing well in the English conditions.

Jamie Overton has played only one Test before, back in 2022 at the same venue. He impressed in that match against New Zealand, scoring 97 runs and taking a wicket in each innings. Since then, injuries have limited his game time. Previously, he injured his finger during an ODI against the West Indies and has only played three County Championship matches since last year. Still, England have chosen him over Matthew Potts as the back-up seamer.

Gus Atkinson was originally expected to be fit, but the team later confirmed that he is not available for the first Test. England’s fast bowling options are already limited, with Mark Wood and Olly Stone both out with knee injuries. Jofra Archer is also unavailable and may only return for the second Test after recovering from a thumb injury.

Chris Woakes Leads Strong Bowling Attack

All-rounder Chris Woakes is back in the squad after recovering from an ankle problem. Brydon Carse also returns after missing the Zimbabwe Test with a minor injury. Both players will be important in the fast-bowling department. Josh Tongue, who missed the 2024 season due to injury, is also named in the squad. He and Woakes will play a warm-up game for England Lions against India A to prepare for the first Test.

Sam Cook, who made his debut against Zimbabwe, keeps his place in the squad. However, he is likely to be on the bench if Woakes is fit to play.
Another big name returning is Jacob Bethell. The left-hander missed the Zimbabwe match because of his IPL duties. He had an excellent debut series in New Zealand earlier this year, where he scored three half-centuries while batting at number 3. His return puts pressure on existing batters Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope.

But both Crawley and Pope scored centuries against Zimbabwe, which could help them secure their spots for now. The batting line-up also includes regulars like Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and captain Ben Stokes. Jamie Smith, who kept wickets against Zimbabwe, retains his place as the wicketkeeper.
The upcoming five-match Test series will start at Headingley, followed by matches at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Emirates Old Trafford, and Kia Oval. India have not won a Test series in England since 2007 and will be eager to change that record. India's squad for the five-match Test series has already been announced, with Shubman Gill set to lead the red-ball team for the first time.

England Squad For 1st Test vs India

Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Ben Stokes (C), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.