England has officially announced its 14-member squad for the highly anticipated first Test against India, scheduled to begin on June 20th at Headingley, Leeds. The squad announcement, made earlier today, includes a mix of experienced players and promising talents, signaling the start of both teams' campaigns in the new ICC World Test Championship cycle.

Ben Stokes will continue to lead the side, bringing his aggressive captaincy and all-round abilities to the forefront. The squad sees the return of all-rounder Jamie Overton, who earns a recall to the Test setup for the first time since June 2022, when he made his debut against New Zealand at the same venue. Overton's inclusion adds depth to both the batting and bowling departments. However, his participation remains subject to medical assessment as he recovers from a broken right little finger sustained during the ODI against the West Indies on May 29th.

Chris Woakes also makes a comeback to the Test squad, having last featured in the series against New Zealand in 2024. Woakes' experience and skill with both bat and ball will be invaluable for England. Brydon Carse has recovered from a toe injury that sidelined him from the Champions Trophy, adding further strength to the pace attack.

Young batter Jacob Bethell, who impressed in the recent IPL 2025 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and scored a notable 82 in an ODI against the West Indies, has also been included, highlighting the team's focus on nurturing young talent. Sam Cook, who debuted against Zimbabwe, retains his place in the squad, adding variety to the bowling options.

The England squad will feature a significantly different look compared to the last time they faced India in early 2024. Veteran bowler James Anderson has since retired, while Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Ollie Robinson are notable absentees from the squad. The squad also includes Shoaib Bashir as the lone spinner, who impressed with nine wickets in the recent Test win against Zimbabwe.

The complete England squad for the first Test against India is as follows: Ben Stokes (Captain), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, and Chris Woakes.

Notably, fast bowler Josh Tongue and Chris Woakes will participate in the second unofficial Test for England Lions against India A to gain some match practice before the first Test. Gus Atkinson misses out due to a hamstring injury picked up during the Test against Zimbabwe. Mark Wood and Jofra Archer also remain unavailable due to injury.