England have brought in Gus Atkinson for the third Test of the five-match series against India, scheduled at Lord’s from July 10. The 27-year-old fast-bowler, who missed the first two matches due to a hamstring injury, has now recovered and is back in the mix. His inclusion comes at the right time for the hosts as they are looking to bounce back after a disappointing defeat at Headingley.
India’s 336-run win in Birmingham has left the series level at 1-1. England will be under pressure to respond at Lord's. England’s bowlers, who had put in a lot of effort in the opening two Tests, looked jaded. That has now forced a rethink in the fast-bowling department.
England captain Ben Stokes hinted at possible changes, especially with the short turnaround between games. The attack lacked the bite at Edgbaston and fatigue among the bowlers was apparent. The team management is now considering fresh legs for Lord’s and Gus Atkinson’s return is a timely boost.
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Gus Atkinson Returns to England Squad for Lord’s Test Against India
Atkinson was sidelined after suffering a hamstring strain during England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May. Atkinson was ruled out of the West Indies ODIs. However, he has recovered and might make his comeback at Lord's.
He has made an impressive start to his Test career, having already taken 55 wickets in just 12 matches. More importantly for England, he has a strong record at Lord’s. In two Tests at the historic venue, Atkinson has picked up 10 wickets.
His most memorable outing at Lord’s came against Sri Lanka, where he took seven wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings. That match also saw him score his maiden first-class hundred.
With Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue all having played the first two Tests, there is a strong possibility that they might be rested at Lord's. All three looked a touch tired in Birmingham. Captain Stokes and head coach Bredon McCullum are now exploring all options, including the likes of Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton and Sam Cook. With Atkinson back, he is very much in contention for a starting spot at Lord’s.
Ben Stokes Hints at Possible Bowling Changes
Following the defeat at Edgbaston, Stokes touched upon the workload his bowlers have shouldered over the first two Tests. With back-to-back matches and limited recovery time, he acknowledged that rotation might be necessary heading into the third Test at Lord’s.
"With it being a quick turnaround there probably will be a decision we have to make given how everyone does pull up after this game. We will have one or two days to get the bodies right and recover and all of sudden we will be out there flipping the coin," Stokes said as quoted.
England’s squad for third Test against India: Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Jofra Archer, Sam Cook, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson.
