The England cricket team has finalized their playing XI for the first Test against the West Indies, set to commence on Wednesday, July 10, at Lord’s in London. Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith will make their Test debuts, with Atkinson receiving his maiden call-up to the 14-man squad.
Joining Atkinson in the pace attack will be Chris Woakes and James Anderson. Woakes returns to the red-ball format for the first time since the fifth Ashes Test against Australia at The Oval last year. Meanwhile, Anderson is preparing for what will be his 188th and final Test match, marking the end of an illustrious career.
Shoaib Bashir, who debuted during the India tour earlier this year, will play his first Test on English soil. Jamie Smith, selected for his impressive performance in this year’s County Championship, where he scored over 500 runs for Surrey, will also keep wickets at Lord’s.
England’s playing XI for the 1st Test against West Indies:
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Chris Woakes
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- James Anderson
England faced a 4-1 drubbing in India earlier this year
Under the leadership of Ben Stokes, England endured a challenging tour in India, suffering a 4-1 series defeat in the five-Test series. Although Stokes’ team managed a remarkable come-from-behind victory in Hyderabad, their struggles continued throughout the series.
Despite finding themselves in advantageous positions several times, England repeatedly failed to capitalize, allowing India to dominate. Yashasvi Jaiswal was a standout performer for India, amassing 700 runs, while the host’s spinners and pacers consistently outperformed the visitors.
With England languishing at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, the series against the West Indies presents a crucial opportunity for a comeback. The team will be eager to reverse their fortunes and climb the standings with a strong performance at Lord’s.
