England cricket team have announced their playing XI for the rescheduled fifth Test against. The Edgbaston in Birmingham will host the Test, starting on July 1 (Friday). The tie was originally scheduled to take place last year, however, was postponed after COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp after the fourth Test.
Ben Stokes and Co. have made one change to the side that won the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley, with Jimmy Anderson returning to the side in place of Jamie Overton. The England skipper also confirmed Ben Foakes remains out as he continues to recover from Covid, meaning Kent’s Sam Billings keeps his place behind the stumps.
“Unfortunately Foakesy hasn’t recovered as well as we’d have liked him to,” Stokes said. “So Sam is going to stay in the team and keep. (Foakes) hasn’t really recovered from last week and doesn’t feel like he could give the best account of himself this week. We took the decision out of his hands and said ‘get yourself better’.”
England will enter the match on the back of a prolific form, having thrashed New Zealand 3-0 in the recently concluded Test series.
India currently lead the series 2-1 and are on the verge of creating history. If they manage to draw the Test match, Rohit Sharma and Co. will win their first series in England for the first time since 2007.
England’s playing XI: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Sam Billings (w), Matthew Potts, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson.
more to follow…
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