Three Uncapped Players in England's Test Squad for India Tour; Stokes to Lead but Not Bowl

Ben Foakes, Ollie Pope, and Jack Leach return from injuries, while Chris Woakes is left out despite strong Ashes performance.

England's Test squad for their tour of India in the new year includes three uncapped players: Somerset off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, Lancashire left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, and Surrey quick Gus Atkinson.
Ben Stokes, who recently underwent surgery on his chronic left knee injury, is selected to lead the squad and is expected to be fit for the start of the tour, but he will not bowl in the series.
Ben Foakes is recalled to compete with Jonny Bairstow for the wicketkeeping gloves, while vice-captain Ollie Pope and first-choice spinner Jack Leach return from long-term injuries.
Despite being England’s Ashes man of the series, Chris Woakes is not selected for the tour, hinting at his potential future role as a home conditions specialist.
The five-Test tour of India begins on January 25 in Hyderabad, followed by matches in Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala.