Shoaib Bashir headlines England Test squad for India

GEORGE DOBELL: The Somerset spinner, 20, who has only played six first-class matches, is joined by Tom Hartley while Gus Atkinson earns his maiden Test call-up for the five-Test series across January, February and March 2024

George Dobell | 11/12/2023 at 12:00

Somerset's Shoaib Bashir is among three uncapped players in England's Test squad to tour India.

Shoaib, a 20-year-old off-spinner with only six first-class games behind him, is one of four spinners in the squad.

With career-best first-class figures of 3 for 67, his selection might be seen as both a reflection of his outstanding potential and the relative lack of options for the position in English cricket at present.

Tom Hartley, the Lancashire left-arm spinner, is another new face in the Test squad as is Gus Atkinson, the Surrey seamer.

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Tom Hartley also impressed on the Lions' UAE trip (Randy Brooks / AFP) (Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images)

Hartley and Atkinson have both played limited-overs cricket for England in recent times while the Lancashire spinner and Shoaib were both part of the England Lions squad that trained in the United Arab Emirates last month.

Jack Leach also returns having missed the Ashes with a stress fracture of the back. Nineten-year-old Rehan Ahmed, with one match behind him, is the second most experienced Test spinner in the squad having taken a five-for on debut in Pakistan a year ago.

Shoaib (10), Rehan (24) and Hartley (40) have only 74 first-class wickets between them. In the County Championship alone, they have just six more between them than India's Ravichandran Ashwin (67 compared to 61).

Liam Dawson, the Hampshire all-rounder who enjoyed an exceptional domestic season in 2023, has confirmed to The Cricketer that the England management did not check on his availability for the tour.

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Double County Championship winner Atkinson earns a much-anticipated Test call-up (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for Surrey CCC)

Elsewhere there is a recall for Ben Foakes. The Surrey keeper missed out to Jonny Bairstow in the Ashes but, with many overs of spin likely to be bowled in India, Foakes' superior ability standing up to the stumps is likely to see him return.

Ollie Robinson makes a return, too. In what might be considered a make-or-break tour for him, Robinson may be required to bowl long spells in trying conditions. Frustrations over his fitness have caused some issues with the England management.

While this tour came too early for Jofra Archer, he is understood to have returned to action at the weekend. Playing for Foundation against Lords in the first division of the Barbados Cricket Association, he claimed 4 for 18 and scored 11 runs. Encouraging though that may sound, one of his wickets is understood to have come from a spell of left-arm spin.

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), 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

India v England men's Test fixtures 2024

January 25-29: 1st Test (Hyderabad)

February 2-6: 2nd Test (Vizag)

February 15-19: 3rd Test (Rajkot)

February 23-27: 4th Test (Ranchi)

March 7-11: 5th Test (Dharamsala)