Jamie Overton earns shock England recall for India Test series opener as Archer wait drags on

England have thrown a curveball ahead of their much-anticipated home Test series against India, handing Jamie Overton a surprise recall for the opening match at Headingley starting June 20. The 31-year-old fast bowler, who last played his only Test in June 2022, replaces the injured Gus Atkinson in a pace-depleted squad.

The 14-man squad, led by skipper Ben Stokes, also features the return of Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes, and Brydon Carse — all of whom missed England's recent one-off Test against Zimbabwe.

However, England continue to grapple with high-profile absentees. Jofra Archer’s comeback has once again been delayed, this time due to a thumb injury picked up during the IPL 2025 while playing for Rajasthan Royals. The injury ruled him out of both the ODI series against West Indies and a planned red-ball return with England Lions.

Mark Wood also remains unavailable for the opener as he recovers from knee surgery in March. The ECB hopes he will return in the latter half of the five-match series.

Bethell’s inclusion, following a promising debut series in New Zealand, reignites the selection battle at the top of the order. Despite three fifties at No. 3, he faces competition from Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope — both of whom struck centuries against Zimbabwe.

The high-stakes series begins on June 20 at Headingley, followed by Tests at Edgbaston (July 2), Lord’s (July 10), Old Trafford (July 23), and The Oval (July 31).

England squad for 1st Test vs India:

Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Ben Stokes (capt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.