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Shah and Swann in England squad

29/09/2008

Middle-order batsman Owais Shah and uncapped spinner Graeme Swann have both been named in England's 15-man squad for the Test tour of India this winter.

However, there is no place in for in-form Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara, who has been nominated for both the player of the year and young player of the year prizes at this year's PCA Awards.

National selector Geoff Miller said the selection of Shah over Bopara was down to the Middlesex man being "an excellent player of spin, who played a superb innings in India on his Test debut two years ago" when he made 88 in Mumbai.

"It's a further opportunity for him to build on his success with the one-day side this year and his inclusion in the squad will create real competition for places within the batting unit," Miller added.

Under new captain Kevin Pietersen, who will be taking charge of his first overseas tour, the selectors have picked incumbent one-day international wicketkeeper Matt Prior and Warwickshire's Tim Ambrose to compete for the job as the Test starter.

"Matt Prior has enjoyed an impressive domestic season with Sussex and having re-established himself in the England one-day side, he will now compete with Tim Ambrose for the position of Test wicketkeeper," Miller said.

"Matt remains our first-choice keeper in the one-day game, but Tim will join the one-day squad in India as reserve wicketkeeper for the duration of the one-day series."

Nottinghamshire bowler Swann, whose county side missed out on the championship over the weekend after a home defeat to Hampshire, is expected to be utilised in tandem with first-choice spinner Monty Panesar on the turn-friendly pitches of the subcontinent.

Swann's inclusion means promising youngster Adil Rashid misses out, although he has been named in the performance squad.

"The inclusion of Graeme Swann as off-spinner provides us with a right-arm/left-arm slow bowling combination which we believe can be effective in India," the chief selector explained.

"Graeme has bowled well in tandem with Monty Panesar when they were at Northamptonshire together and he will be keen to renew the partnership this winter."

Finally, England's pace-bowling unit looks strong with James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Ryan Sidebottom providing plenty of options on the two-Test tour.

The first Test will begin on December 11th in Ahmedabad, with the second Test in Mumbai starting on December 19th.

Full 15-man England Test squad for India tour:

Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire, captain)
Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Alastair Cook (Essex)
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire)
Stephen Harmison (Durham)
Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire)
Matt Prior (Sussex)
Owais Shah (Middlesex)
Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)
Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)