England have finally named their 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against India, which is scheduled to be played from July 14. Sussex allrounder James Coles has earned his first-ever ODI call-up, joining England's 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match home series against India. The squad also features fast bowler Josh Tongue, who is looking to make his ODI debut, and Jofra Archer, making his return to the format for the first time since November of last year.
Jofra Archer returns to England's ODI set-up for India series
Further boosting the bowling attack, pacers Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood have been recalled after sitting out the recent tour of Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Harry Brook, who is heavily tipped to eventually take over the Test captaincy from Ben Stokes—retains his leadership role as the full-time white-ball captain for this series.
England has made four adjustments to the 15-man roster that traveled to Sri Lanka in the winter. Archer, Atkinson, Mahmood, and Coles have been brought in to replace Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Jamie Overton, and Luke Wood. By keeping the rest of the core roster intact, selectors are aiming to establish stability ahead of next year's World Cup in South Africa.
The three-match ODI between India and England kicks off at Edgbaston on July 14. The action will then shift to Cardiff on July 16, before reaching its conclusion at Lord's on July 19.
England's ODI squad for India series:
Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, James Coles, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Josh Tongue.
The schedule:
IND vs ENG 1st ODI: Tuesday 14 July, Edgbaston, Birmingham
IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: Thursday 16 July, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
IND vs ENG 3rd ODI: Sunday 19 July, Lord’s, London
This upcoming series is shaping up to be an intriguing battle, especially with India reinforcing their ODI squad by welcoming back heavyweights Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. With a shared eye on upcoming ICC tournaments, both sides will view these matches as a prime opportunity to solidify their ideal team combinations and build crucial winning momentum.