BIRMINGHAM – 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.
The England team to face India is:
Alastair Cook
Keaton Jennings
Joe Root (c)
Dawid Malan
Jonny Bairstow (w)
Ben Stokes
Jos Buttler
Sam Curran
Adil Rashid
Stuart Broad
James Anderson