England recall Mark Wood as Ben Stokes opts for change in approach in bowling attack
02/13/2024 01:14 PM
Mark Wood is in contention to play in Rajkot as Ben Stokes names a 12-man squad for the third Test against India.
England have picked only one specialist seamer for the first two Tests of the series, with Wood playing in Hyderabad, before being replaced with James Anderson in Vizag.
However, some extra grass on the wicket in Rajkot has prompted a rethink, with the option of two seamers now considered a real option.
"We have gone round everyone and named a 12," Stokes said. "The XI from last week, plus Woody."
Wood has been given the nod to potentially return ahead of fellow seamers Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson, neither of whom have featured in the series so far.
"The reasons why we would look at Jimmy and Woody would be I just like to have a point of difference. And India is never a three-seamer option. Obviously having Woody's high pace and if we were to go with two seamers it would give a bit more rest to Woody…so we might be able to get a bit more versatility and use him how we want to and not worry that he's the only seamer."
If England do opt to bring Mark Wood in, Stokes says they have not yet decided which of the three spinners out of Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir would drop out, with that decision being made once they have a final look at the pitch tomorrow.
Stokes will become the 16th Englishman in history to earn 100 Test caps when he walks out in Rajkot, joining teammates James Anderson (184) and Joe Root (137) in achieving the feat.
"It's just a number," Stokes said. "Every Test is as important as the next one. It doesn't make much difference. 99, 100, 101. I guess it's a sign of longevity.
"There'll be a time when I can [reflect] a bit more. Whilst I'm still playing and wanting to achieve a lot, driving the team, giving individuals what I think is the best platform for them to be successful is where all my thoughts are at the moment."
The third Test, which begins on Thursday and is covered live and exclusively on talkSPORT, is the latest instalment of a fascinating series that is tied at 1-1 with three matches to go.
India haven't lost a home series since 2012, but with the home team suffering from a number of absentees including superstars Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Shami, England have a rare chance at creating history.
"It's set up for a good series," Stokes said. "I'd much rather lose trying to win…everything we do is aimed at what we can do and what do we need to do to give ourselves the best chance. And if we walk off the pitch at the end as a loser at least we know we've done everything possible."
