Chris Woakes Returns as England Announce Squad
The series against India will be a crucial test for England, who are looking to build on their recent win over Zimbabwe, and the return of Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse adds depth to their squad, as they face a new-look Indian team led by Shubman Gill.
England have announced their playing XI for the first Test against India, featuring Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse, who return from injuries, with the team led by Ben Stokes and aiming to build on their dominant win over Zimbabwe.
The top three batsmen, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, and Ollie Pope, all scored centuries in the previous match, providing a strong foundation for the team. Pope's selection over Jacob Bethell was explained by Stokes, who cited Pope's impressive performance against Zimbabwe last month, where he scored 171 in the innings win at Trent Bridge.
Stokes praised Pope for handling the extra scrutiny that comes with being an international player, and emphasized that England are not underestimating their opponents, despite India's new captain Shubman Gill and the absence of icons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The five-Test series against India precedes England's away Ashes tour later this year, and Stokes is looking forward to the challenge, having returned from injury in England's dominant win over Zimbabwe.
With the return of Woakes and Carse, England's team is looking strong, and the first Test against India at Headingley promises to be an exciting match, with both teams aiming to make a statement in the series.