India vs England: Chris Woakes returns as Silverwood names 15-member squad for fourth Test

Bengaluru, Aug 29: After their commanding win over India in the third Test, England is set to take on the visitors in the fourth Test at the Kia Oval, and on Sunday, head coach Chris Silverwood named a 15-player squad.

Hosts England drew level in the five-match series after beating India by an innings and 76 runs in Leeds. Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes returns to the Test squad after recovering from a heel injury. Woakes successfully returned to cricket with Warwickshire second XI last week, and the Vitality Blast T20 quarter-final for Birmingham Bears in their defeat to Kent Spitfires last Friday at Canterbury.
Jos Buttler is set to miss the fourth Test as he and his wife are expecting the birth of their second child and Kent wicketkeeper Sam Billing will replace him in the England squad.

Seamer Saqib Mahmood returns to Lancashire for their LV= County Championship Division One match against Warwickshire at Emirates Old Trafford starting on Monday.

The England medical team will continue to assess seamer Mark Wood, who returned to bowling during practice at the end of the Emerald Headingley Test match and is recovering well from his injured right shoulder he sustained during the second Test at Lord’s.

England Men’s Head Coach, Chris Silverwood, said, “After the victory at Emerald Headingley, the Test series is beautifully poised against a strong India side going into the next Test at the Kia Oval.
“It is very pleasing that we have Chris Woakes returning to the Test squad. He has bowled well over the past week with Warwickshire without any real concerns with his heel injury. He is an asset we have been missing both with the ball and his ability to score runs in the middle order. We are looking forward to seeing him prepare at the Oval as we go into back-to-back Tests.

“Mark Wood is making excellent recovery from his jarred right shoulder. He bowled in the middle on the last day at Headingley with our Bowling Coach Jon Lewis and was starting to get through his spells pain-free.
“For the first time in this series, it is pleasing to have several options with our bowling stocks as we approach the latter stages of the series.
“We would like to wish Jos (Buttler) and his family all the very best for the impending birth of their second child. Unfortunately, he will miss this Test, and we’ll then see if he returns for the final Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

“Jonny Bairstow will take over wicketkeeping duties, which he is relishing. As we all know, he has the skills to seamlessly take over from Jos and the ability to score crucial runs in the middle-order if called upon.

“Sam Billings, who was in the Test squad for the New Zealand series earlier this summer, returns as reserve keeper. He understands how we want to approach our cricket and is a popular member of the group. He will fit in well with the rest of the group.”

The fourth Test is set to get underway on Thursday (Sept. 2) and England will train for the first time at the Kia Oval on Tuesday (Aug 31).

England squad for fourth Test:

Joe Root (Capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Source: ECB Media Release