England will make four changes in the second Test against India with Chris Woakes vying with Olly Stone for the final seamer's place, skipper Joe Root said Friday.
England, who won the opening match by 227 runs, have rested James Anderson, while stumper Jos Buttler will return home as part of the team's policy to keep multi-format players fresh.
Off-spinner Dom Bess has been dropped after struggling in the second innings of the first Test, while speedster Jofra Archer will miss the match with an elbow injury.
Ben Foakes will substitute for Buttler behind the stumps for the rest of the four-test series, while spin all-rounder Moeen Ali will replace Bess in the match starting Saturday.
Veteran seamer Stuart Broad is back but Woakes will have to compete with Stone to break into the playing XI.
India skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday vowed to give England a "tough fight" in the remaining three Tests after his side lost by 227 runs in the opening match.
Posted by Sports Tribune on Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Moeen's 61st Test would be his first since August 2019, having taken a break from this format that year.
Anderson was keen to play on after a match winning spell on the final day last week, but Root justified the team's rotation policy saying they had to look at the "bigger picture".
Root said the team would take a look at the pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium before deciding whether Stone or Woakes should play.
Squad: Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad.
