England call up uncapped trio for India Test series

Adam Drury

LiveScore

Gus Atkinson has received his first Test match call-up

England have selected uncapped trio Gus Atkinson, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir in their squad for the five-match Test series against India, starting in January.

Surrey quick Atkinson, who has only featured in white-ball cricket at international level, is joined by spinners Hartley of Lancashire and Somerset's Bashir.

Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Jack Leach return from injury, wicket-keeper Ben Foakes is back in the squad after missing out on the Ashes in the summer, while veteran seamer James Anderson is set to feature six months on from turning 41.

Captain Ben Stokes will be hoping to recover from knee surgery in time to play a full part in the first Test in Hyderabad, which begins on January 25.

Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad are the three players who featured in England's last Test not to be named, with this the first series since Broad announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

Atkinson is selected after taking 20 wickets at an average of 20.20 as Surrey claimed back-to-back County Championship titles in the summer.

The 25-year-old has made an impression on the international scene already, featuring in England's doomed Cricket World Cup campaign in India as well as the ongoing white-ball tour of the Caribbean.

Tom Hartley is named in England's Test squad to face India

England managing director Rob Key has already flagged the crucial role spin will have to play throughout the five-match marathon and has selected four slow bowlers as a result.

Rehan Ahmed rejoins Leach in the ranks after taking a five-for on his debut in Pakistan last year, while Hartley and Bashir will provide Stokes with further options.

Lancashire left-armer Hartley, 24, has only ever played 20 first-class matches but gives England a different angle of attack.

Somerset's Bashir, 20, is even more inexperienced, playing just six red-ball games, but has the raw skills the national team is looking for in lieu of more senior options.

England have won 13 of their 18 Tests in the Bazball era under Kiwi coach Brendon McCullum, including coming back from 2-0 down to draw the Ashes 2-2 in the summer.

But winning in India would be their most impressive achievement to date.