Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Hindu
The Hindu
Sport
AP

Ben Stokes expected to be fit for start of England's Test series in India but will not bowl

England Test captain Ben Stokes is expected to be fit for the start of the five-Test tour of India beginning January 25 after being selected in a 16-man squad less than two weeks after undergoing left knee surgery.

Stokes will not bowl in the series, England director of cricket Rob Key said in a video call on Monday, though that was never the plan in the wake of his November 29 operation.

Key said Stokes' surgery was a "success" and that the captain was on course to be ready for the first Test in Hyderabad from January 25-29.

Stokes barely bowled in the Ashes series against Australia this year and was only a batter in the recent 50-over World Cup also held in India.

It will be England's first Test series since the retirement of veteran pacer Stuart Broad while Chris Woakes, one of the team's best fast bowlers in the Ashes, was left out. Instead, England will have four seamers in Jimmy Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and uncapped Gus Atkinson.

Four spinners were selected: Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed and uncapped pair Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir. Key said Bashir was largely going on the tour for experience.

After the match in Hyderabad, there are Tests in Vizag, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala.

England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.