As the T20 World Cup concludes, Test cricket returns to captivate fans. England, known for their aggressive "Bazball" style under Ben Stokes and Baz McCullum, have been dominant at home but faced setbacks during their tour of India earlier this year.
England vs West Indies Test Series Schedule:
- 1st Test: July 10-14, Lord's
- 2nd Test: July 18-22, Nottingham
- 3rd Test: July 26-30, Birmingham
England's Test Squad for the West Indies Series:
England has named a strong 14-member squad for the first two Tests against the West Indies, led by Ben Stokes. This series will be particularly significant as it marks the final appearance of James Anderson at Lord's. Post-retirement, Anderson is expected to remain involved as a bowling mentor. Newcomers Dillon Pennington and Jamie Smith have received their first Test call-ups following impressive performances at the county level for Nottinghamshire and Surrey, respectively.
Surprisingly, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes have been excluded. Jamie Smith is likely to debut as the primary wicketkeeper, though Ollie Pope could also keep wickets despite not having done so since 2022. The pace attack, featuring Pennington, Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, and Chris Woakes, will aim to compensate for Anderson's absence after his retirement.
Squad:
- Ben Stokes (c)
- James Anderson
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- Harry Brook
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Dan Lawrence
- Dillon Pennington
- Ollie Pope
- Matthew Potts
- Joe Root
- Jamie Smith
- Chris Woakes