England add Chris Woakes and Sam Billings for Oval Test

All-rounder Chris Woakes and wicketkeeper batsman Sam Billings are added to the England squad for the upcoming fourth Test at Oval against India. Jos Buttler will miss the match as he is expecting a second child. Billings is yet to make his Test debut.

Chris Woakes, who was named England’s Player of the year in 2020, has not featured in any Test for over a year. The 32-year-old allrounder sustained a heel injury which ruled him out of the first three Tests. He has returned to fitness now, however, and played for Warwickshire’s 2nd XI last week as well as in their T20 Blast quarter-final on Friday evening.

“It is very pleasing that we have Chris Woakes returning to the Test squad,” head coach Chris Silverwood said. “He has bowled well over the past week with Warwickshire without any real concerns with his heel injury. He is an asset we have been missing both with the ball and his ability to score runs in the middle order. We are looking forward to seeing him prepare at the Oval as we go into back-to-back Tests.”

England coach Chris Silverwood confirmed that Jonny Bairstow will keep wickets at The Oval in the absence of Jos Buttler. Ollie Poper or Dan Lawrence might take up Buttler’s spot in the team.

Mark Wood who was sidelined for the 3^rd Test is expected to be available for the Oval Test after recovering well from a jarred shoulder he suffered during the Lord’s Test.

“Mark Wood is making excellent recovery from his jarred right shoulder,” Silverwood said. “He bowled in the middle on the last day at Headingley with our bowling coach Jon Lewis and was starting to get through his spells pain-free. For the first time in this series, it is pleasing to have several options with our bowling stocks as we approach the latter stages of the series.”

England Test Squad for Oval Test:

Joe Root (captain), Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns, Daniel Lawrence, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstowm Ollie Pope, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton, Chris Woakes, James Anderson, Mark Wood.

The second Test begins on September 2, Thursday. The series is currently levelled at 1-1.