Pope retains No.3 spot; Carse set for home 'debut'

Pope Retains No.3 Spot, Carse Ready for Home Debut

England has officially announced its playing XI for the highly anticipated opening Test against India at Headingley. In a significant decision, Ollie Pope has secured the No.3 position, edging out the promising Jacob Bethell. Meanwhile, Brydon Carse is poised to make his first home appearance.

Ollie Pope scored 171 against Zimbabwe on his return to the No.3 spot © Getty

Pope's form faced scrutiny last year, despite his remarkable 196 in Hyderabad at the beginning of 2024, which contributed to England's memorable Test victory. During the tour of New Zealand later that year, Pope was repositioned to No.6 due to player unavailability, providing Bethell with an opportunity to debut at No.3.

The young Bethell seized the opportunity, making an immediate impact by scoring three half-centuries in three Tests, narrowly missing a century. However, with Bethell unavailable for the Zimbabwe match last month due to IPL commitments, Pope strengthened his claim with a brilliant 171 upon returning to the No.3 spot. Consequently, the team management has placed their trust in the vice-captain.

Carse, who debuted in Pakistan in late 2024, has participated in five Tests, all played away from home. With an impressive tally of 27 wickets in those matches, Carse is now set to play his first Test on home soil. This opportunity comes after recovering from toe surgery, enabling him to participate in the limited-overs series against the West Indies. Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir have also retained their places in the XI for the Test match commencing on June 20.

England's XI for the 1st Test:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.