England keep faith with Ollie Pope for first India Test as Jacob Bethell misses out; Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse return

England have kept faith with Ollie Pope, left out Jacob Bethell and recalled seam bowlers Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse for the first Test against India at Headingley.

Pope has been retained at No 3 for the Leeds Test, live on Sky Sports from Friday (11am first ball), after scoring 171 in the innings thrashing of Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May.

Bethell missed that match while on IPL duty for Royal Challengers Bengaluru but an impressive start to his England career had led to calls for him to be immediately restored.

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England XI for first India Test

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (vice-captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir

Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket from Friday June 20 (11am first ball)

The 21-year-old looked assured while scoring three fifties from the No 3 position in New Zealand over the winter in his debut Test series and also shone in the recent white-ball games versus West Indies, most notably with a 53-ball 82 in the first one-day international.

Bethell’s left-arm spin may also have been a useful option with the scorching temperatures likely to produce a dry pitch but vice-captain Pope has been given the nod, versus a side he averages just 24.60 against, down from his overall mark of 35.49.

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Take a look at the best shots from Jacob Bethell’s brilliant 82 from 53 balls against West Indies in the first ODI

Opener Zak Crawley, another player Bethell could potentially have dislodged, will partner Ben Duckett at the top of the order with the only changes coming in the pace attack.

Analysis: Pope keeps place – but for how long?

Sky Sports’ David Ruse:

“Considering the manner and skill with which Bethell has begun his international career, it seems a matter of when, not if, he becomes a Test regular.

“Captain Ben Stokes appeared to indicate the young left-hander would come straight back into the XI when quizzed about the India series ahead of the Zimbabwe Test.

“But he later rowed back on those comments, saying he meant the squad and suggested his words had been “twisted” by the media.

“England have stuck with Pope for now, then, but the vice-captain will know he can ill afford a poor start, considering his less-than-stellar record against India.

“After scoring 196 in the series opener in Hyderabad in early 2024, he mustered just 118 runs in eight further innings at an average of 14.75, with a best of 39.

“Pope’s average versus impending opponents Australia is also low – 15.70 in five Tests, a number which drops to 11.16 across three games during the 2021-22 away Ashes.

“The pressure is firmly on.”

Woakes and Carse return as Cook and injured Atkinson drop outFit-again Woakes and Carse, who missed the Zimbabwe Test with ankle and toe issues respectively, replace Sam Cook and the injured Gus Atkinson with Carse to play his first home Test after 27 wickets across five matches in Pakistan and New Zealand this winter.

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England fast bowler Brydon Carse discusses what it would mean for him to play his first home Test against India at Headingley

Atkinson is still recovering from a hamstring problem he sustained against Zimbabwe while Cook is left out after an indifferent Test debut in which he took just the one wicket.

Woakes and Carse – who said on Wednesday that there have been discussions about him taking the new ball in Atkinson’s absence – will join Josh Tongue and captain Ben Stokes in the fast-bowling group, with Shoaib Bashir as the spinner.

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England spinner Shoaib Bashir has praised the role captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have played in his development

Pace-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton is the other member of the initial 14-player squad, along with Bethell and Cook, to miss out on selection for the series opener.

The Headingley Test begins a huge period for England with the five-match series at home to Shubman Gill’s men followed by an Ashes tour to Australia, starting at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.

The second India Test is at Edgbaston from July 2 ahead of further matches at Lord’s (from July 10), Emirates Old Trafford (from July 23) and The Kia Oval (from July 31), with every game live on Sky Sports.

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Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton pick their best England and India combined XI.

Carse told reporters on Wednesday: “To play a home Test against India is going to be pretty exciting. It is another opportunity to show the different skills I can bring to the team.

“I’d like to think I can be quite adaptable. If that opportunity comes [to take the new ball], I will relish it, relish putting my hand up.

“There is no hiding from the fact that over a number of years England have had Stuart Broad and James Anderson as the main two bowlers so it is slightly more inexperienced.

“But a lot of the guys that have come in have started well and that will give them a level of confidence and having someone like Woakes, who has played lots of Test cricket in different conditions, brings a level of calmness.”

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Chris Woakes is back in the England side after an ankle injury

India want to make country happy after air crashIndia vice-captain Rishabh Pant, who is set to bat at No 5, one spot behind new skipper Gill, hopes the team can make the country happy again after last week’s Air India plane crash in which more than 270 people were killed.

Pant said: “What happened with the aircraft, all of India was sad so from our side it is how we can make India happy again. I can promise we are going to put our best foot forward for the country.”

India are without the now-retired batters Virat Kohli and former captain Rohit Sharma, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin quit international cricket in December.

Pant added: “As a team we are looking at it as an opportunity to express our talent. Not focusing on what has happened in the past or what is going to happen in the future.

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Rishabh Pant is set to bat at No 5 for India in Leeds

“The idea is very simple. We are going to look to play positive, brave cricket but at the same time respect the conditions.

“If there is a ball to hit, hit it and if the conditions require you to leave the ball and play yourself in, why not do it? You have to keep finding ways, keep believing you are going to make your team win.

“It feels good that Anderson and Broad are not there because they have been there for England for so many years but they have enough ammunition so we don’t want to take anyone lightly.”

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Watch some of the best catches from previous England vs India Test series from Alastair Cook, Virat Kohli and a 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar!

England’s Carse added of India: “Kohli and Rohit are massive losses. They have been world-class batters over a number of years but the depth India have, the quality, they will without doubt put up a strong XI.”

England vs India Test series ☀️All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports

First Test: Friday June 20-Tuesday June 24 – HeadingleySecond Test: Wednesday July 2-Sunday July 6 – EdgbastonThird Test: Thursday July 10-Monday July 14 – Lord’sFourth Test: Wednesday July 23-Sunday July 27 – Emirates Old TraffordFifth Test: Thursday July 31-Monday August 4 – The Kia Oval