Picture Courtesy : AP
Pacer Mark Wood and all-rounder Chris Woakes were added to the England squad for the fourth Test against India after regaining full fitness while Jos Buttler will miss the game as his wife is expecting their second child.
Wood had hurt his right shoulder while fielding during the second Test at Lord’s while Woakes has recovered from the heel injury that kept him out of international cricket since the ODI series against Pakistan in July.
Woakes played a domestic T20 game on Friday and will be a welcome addition to the squad in the absence of key players such as Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer.
While Jonny Bairstow will keep in Buttler’s absence, Sam Billings, who has played 25 ODIs and 32 T20s, has been brought in as the reserve wicketkeeper.
“Both of them have come through fine. Wood was bowling yesterday morning. He will be available for selection and Woakes has played so he becomes available again,” Silverwood said a day after England’s series-levelling win over India at Leeds.
Silverwood was also asked if Bairstow was up for the job? “Yes, I am confident that Jonny can do the job if asked and yes Jonny would want to do the job if asked. We have had already had those conversations. He is happy to do that,” the coach added.
Pacer Saqib Mahmood has been left out of the squad. The fourth Test begins on September 2 at the Oval. The series is tied at 1-1.
England squad: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Sam Billings (wk), Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
