Agency:
Jack Leach and Jos Buttler have been included in England’s 16-man squad for the final Test of their five-match series against India, which starts on Friday, September 10.
Spinner Leach took 28 wickets in six Tests last winter but hasn’t played for England since early March. He could replace Moeen Ali as the front-line spinner at Old Trafford, where England will be looking to level the series at 2-2 after losing by 157 runs at The Oval.
Buttler missed the fourth Test as his wife gave birth to their second child.
Jonny Bairstow kept wicket in his place and Ollie Pope was also added to the squad. Pope marked his return to the side with 81 in the first innings, but could now miss out on a place in the XI.
Craig Overton is in the squad despite taking a blow to the elbow when he batted in the fourth innings at The Oval. James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and Sam Curran join Overton in the bowling department.
Anderson and Robinson have both had heavy workloads this series, leading the way for the amount of overs bowled with 163.3 and 166.2 respectively.
With an Ashes series coming up this winter, there have been questions over whether Anderson, 39, should be rested for the fifth Test.
“It’s something we have to keep an eye on but we had to try and win this Test and put our best foot forward going into the next one,” said England head coach Chris Silverwood after defeat at The Oval.
“He [Anderson] and I will have a conversation together, he will have input into that without a shadow of a doubt, James knows his own body and he will certainly give me an honest opinion of where he is at, and it is certainly one I will listen to. I know he won’t want to miss any cricket but we have to look after him.”
