England name XI for Edgbaston Test against India

England have decided to field an unchanged XI for the second Test against India at Egbaston. The hosts aim to stick with the winning formula that secured them a 1-0 lead, continuing with the side that beat India comprehensively in the first Test at Headingley by successfully chasing down 371 runs in the fourth innings.

The big news ahead of the second Test is the absence of Jofra Archer, despite his much-anticipated return to the England Test squad after nearly four years. Archer last played red-ball cricket for England in 2021 and has since been sidelined by a series of injuries that kept him out of action for a prolonged period.

The 30-year-old recently made a comeback in county cricket just a few weeks ago, where he offered promising signs of regaining his rhythm. His performance there was enough to earn him a spot back in the national setup.

England head into the second Test with momentum on their side. The Ben Stokes-led team displayed impressive resilience in the firstTest, battling hard despite a tough start. After conceding over 450 runs in the first innings, they responded strongly with the bat, managing to cut down the deficit and restrict India to a slim lead of just six runs.

In the second innings, England’s bowlers triggered a late collapse in the Indian batting lineup, setting up a target of 371 runs. What followed was a remarkable display of batting, as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett put on a brilliant 188-run opening stand to lay the foundation. England chased down the target in style, registering their second-highest successful run chase in Test cricket history.

With an unchanged playing XI, England will be aiming to carry their winning momentum into the second Test at Edgbaston, which gets underway on July 2.

England Squad:

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