Top-order batsman
Dawid Malan has been included in the Test squad for the first time in three
years as England look to bounce back after defeat at Lord’s in the upcoming third
encounter against India. Malan, a regular fixture in
England’s white-ball affairs, has 15 Test caps – the last of which came in the
win against India at Edgbaston, Birmingham in August 2018.

Seamer Saqib
Mahmood, who is yet to make his Test debut, has also been added to the 15-man squad.
The 24-year-old was part of England’s Test squads that toured Sri Lanka and
India earlier this year, as well as the extended squads for last summer’s
series against West Indies and Pakistan.

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Meanwhile,
batsmen Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley have been dropped following their poor
showing in the ongoing series. Crawley recorded scores of 27 and 6 at number
three in the first Test before being replaced by Haseeb Hameed at Lord’s. Sibley
has 18, 28, 11 and 0 in four innings so far.

The two
batsmen have returned to Kent and Warwickshire respectively.

Leggie Jack
Leach has also been omitted, although he remains a backup for Moeen Ali. Pacer
Mark Wood has been included, despite injuring his shoulder in the second Test.

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Full squad: Joe Root (C),
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam
Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton,
Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood.

“Dawid
Malan deserves his opportunity in the Test arena. He has a lot of experience
across all formats and, if called upon, I am confident that he can come and do
well on his home ground,” head coach Chris Silverwood said in a statement.

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The
46-year-old said that Crawley “is still a massive part of our plans moving
forward, but we feel he would benefit from time outside the pressure of
international competition”. He said Sibley needs to “regain his confidence
after a challenging period”.

About Wood’s
injury, he said the “medical team is working with him each day” and that they
will “monitor where he is at when we get to Leeds”.

India are
currently leading the five-match series 1-0 after scripting a memorable
comeback on the last day to win the second Test by 151 runs. The third Test
will be played at Headingley, Leeds from August 25 to 29.