England has Announced 16 Players Squad to Tour of India

England's Squad for India Tour -

England's 16-member squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against India, commencing on January 25 in Hyderabad, will be led by Ben Stokes.

Ben Stokes not to bowl -

Stokes is expected to be fit for the series, but he will not bowl due to his recent left knee surgery. The squad includes four frontline spinners, two of whom are uncapped players, reflecting a spin-heavy strategy for the tour.

1st Test Series after Stuart Broad's Retirement -

The series will mark England's first Test series since the retirement of veteran pacer Stuart Broad. The squad also features the inclusion of uncapped players such as Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, with the latter primarily gaining experience from the tour.

16 Members Squad -

Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.

Why this series is so important for ENG?

The five-match series against India holds immense weight for England, with their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final potentially hanging by a thread. Having already dropped 19 crucial points, England face a steep uphill battle in the standings. Red-ball coach Brendon McCullum emphasized the difficulty of the task, acknowledging the India tour as one of the most challenging away assignments.