IND vs ENG: England name just one pacer in playing eleven for 1st Test against India in Hyderabad

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IND vs ENG: England announced their playing eleven for the first Test against India in Hyderabad from January 25. The Ben Stokes-led side will walk into the match with four spinners and one pacer in Mark Wood.

Lancashire left-arm spinner Tom Hartley will make his Test debut in the match. He has picked 40 wickets in 20 matches at an average of 36.57. Left-arm spinner Jack Leach, leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and off-spinner Joe Root will accompany Hartley in the match.

Mark Wood is the only pacer in England playing. Captain Ben Stokes is an option but will not bowl in the series due to his recurring knee injury. Veteran pacer James Anderson has not been considered for the match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

"You might even see Rooty taking the new ball, depending on what I feel. If (left-hander) Yashasvi Jaiswal opens the batting, you might see Rooty opening the bowling because it's spinning away from the bat," Stokes had said ahead of the first Test.

Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach all come into the side having not been involved in our last Test against Australia at The Oval last summer.

England Playing 11 for first Test vs India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach