ENG vs IND | Ollie Pope picked ahead of Jacob Bethell as England announce team for first Test

‌England announced their playing eleven that will take the field against India in the first Test at Headingley in Leeds on Friday. Ollie Pope is expected to play at number three as he pipped Jacob Bethell in a direct race for that slot. 

The England vice-captain scored a mammoth 171 against Zimbabwe that laid the foundation for an innings win in the one-off Test last month. That knock may have weighed in his favour with Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes sticking with Pope in his favoured number three position. 

Earlier, there were talks that the young Jacob Bethell might replace Pope, who had to vacate his slot for the former during the New Zealand tour late last year. Bethell showed promise during his debut series scoring three fifties in six innings to finish as the second-highest run-getter for England in the three-match series against the Kiwis.

The rest of the batting order looks settled with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley set to open the innings in their typical Bazball fashion with Joe Root and Harry Brook slotted at four and five, respectively, in the middle order. Captain Ben Stokes and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith complete the batting lineup with Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse ensuring a long tail.

Woakes, who impressed with the new ball for England Lions in the second unofficial Test against India A, will partner Carse and Josh Tongue in the pace bowling department while Stokes will pitch in with his seamers as and when required. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir will be lone spinner in the lineup, expectedly retaining his place after his Player of the Match winning performance of 9/143 against Zimbabwe in the one-off Test.

England Team for first Test against India

Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.