James Anderson and Alex Hales omitted from England’s Test squad to tour India
Seamer James Anderson and opening batsman Alex Hales have been omitted from England’s touring party for next month’s five-Test series against the world’s No1-ranked side India.
Anderson, who is the country’s leading Test wicket-taker with 463 scalps, has been left out of England’s unchanged 16-man squad after failing to overcome the shoulder injury which has sidelined him from the current series in Bangladesh.
The 34-year-old has already been ruled out of the opening Test in Rajkot next month, while his fitness for the remaining matches of the tour will be monitored by national team medics.
Hales opted against travelling to Bangladesh amid ongoing security concerns and now faces a battle to regain his England spot. The tourists opened with Ben Duckett during the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong last week, while Lancashire’s Haseeb Hameed is also in the squad.
England are already without seamer Mark Wood, who like Anderson was named in England’s initial squad for Bangladesh, until January after the Durham paceman suffered the recurrence of an ankle injury.
Head coach Trevor Bayliss and skipper Alastair Cook have both suggested that they are minded to rotate their seam attack, starting in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, to ensure freshness throughout a long winter programme.
Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari, meanwhile, insists he is raring to go should he be handed his England debut on Friday. He said: “Hopefully I do get a go. I suppose it depends partly on the wicket and also on whether players need a rest or not.
“I will try to prove myself in the nets and, if the opportunity comes, then great. I think it is always going to be a nerve-wracking experience but I feel as ready as I ever have been.”