ZCZC
BSP-16
CRICKET-ENG-IND-RASHID
Rashid to be England’s lone specialist spinner in India opener
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, July 31, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Adil Rashid faced
further pressure ahead of his controversial recall to the England Test side
for their series opener against India at Edgbaston when it was announced
Tuesday he would be the lone specialist spinner in their XI.
The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that off-spinner Moeen Ali
had been left out from a 13-man squad.
That leaves Yorkshire leg-spinner Rashid as England’s sole designated slow
bowler, although his county colleague Joe Root, the England captain, can
supplement his top-order batting with occasional off-spin.
England have also omitted uncapped Essex seamer Jamie Porter.
Top-order batsman Dawid Malan remains in the XI, with all-rounder Ben
Stokes and Surrey left-arm quick Sam Curran providing seam bowling support to
the veteran new-ball pairing of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the first
of a five-Test series starting Wednesday.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1652 hrs