Jamie Overton Returns as England Weigh Fresh Options for The Oval Test

Jamie Overton Returns as England Weigh Fresh Options for The Oval Test

England have added fast bowler Jamie Overton to their squad for the decisive fifth Test against India at The Oval, as the team contemplates changes to its bowling attack following a gruelling draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Overton, who made his Test debut in 2022 and last featured in international cricket during that series against New Zealand, has earned a recall on the back of solid performances for Surrey in the County Championship. His inclusion is the only change to the 15-member squad that featured in Manchester.

The decision comes after a taxing outing for England’s bowlers in the fourth Test, where they delivered a staggering 257.1 overs across both Indian innings but could not force a result. With the series still alive, England captain Ben Stokes hinted that rotation could be necessary.

"If you look at how long we've been out in the field and the overs that we bowled as a bowling unit, everyone is going to be pretty sore and pretty tired going into the last game of the series," Stokes said. "These recovery days are going to be pretty important, and we might have to make a few decisions to get some fresh legs in."

England’s bowling unit has remained mostly unchanged throughout the series, with Jofra Archer replacing Josh Tongue after the second Test, and Liam Dawson coming in for the injured Shoaib Bashir at Old Trafford. Chris Woakes has been the workhorse of the attack, sending down 167 overs – the most by any bowler on either side. He’s closely followed by Brydon Carse (155) and Ben Stokes (140), while Archer continues to ease back into the Test fold following a lengthy injury layoff.

Gus Atkinson, who recently returned from a hamstring injury, is also in contention after proving his fitness in a second-team match for Surrey. Tongue, despite missing the last two Tests, remains England’s second-highest wicket-taker in the series and could return to the XI. Overton, should he be selected, would be playing only his second Test match.

England Squad for Fifth Test vs India:

Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

The fifth Test begins later this week at The Oval, with the series delicately poised and both sides eager to finish on a high.

 

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