England has named its playing XI for the upcoming third Test against India at the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) Stadium in Rajkot, scheduled to commence on Thursday, February 15. Mark Wood, who missed the second Test in Visakhapatnam, makes a comeback, replacing young spinner Shoaib Bashir.
Wood had featured in the opening Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, where he failed to secure a wicket. However, he was temporarily omitted for the second Test, with the experienced James Anderson taking his place. Bashir, the 20-year-old spinner, who made his Test debut in the absence of Jack Leach, couldn't retain his spot in the XI, despite a promising performance with four wickets, including a notable 3-wicket haul in the first innings.
England's playing XI for the Rajkot Test includes Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, and James Anderson.
Skipper Ben Stokes, set to play his 100th Test, considers the Rajkot Test special. The experienced player has been pivotal since taking charge as the Test skipper in 2022. Ollie Pope, who played a crucial knock of 196 in the Hyderabad Test, commended Stokes for providing England with numerous "special moments."
Joe Root, who suffered a blow to his right little finger while fielding in the slip cordon during the second Test, has recovered and is ready for the Rajkot Test. Root, the former English Test skipper, aims to improve his performance after scoring only 52 runs in the series at an average of 13.
England faced a setback in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, losing by 106 runs, allowing India to level the series at 1-1.
