Anderson out of initial England Test squad

Oct 25, 2016 - 9:56 PM James Anderson hasn't been included in England's initial 16-man squad for the five-Test series against world No.1-ranked India.

Anderson, England's record Test wicket-taker with 463 scalps in 119 matches, was ruled out of next month's opener in Rajkot as he continues his recovery from a damaged shoulder.

A recurrence of the injury forced the 34-year-old out of the ongoing series against Bangladesh and his availability for the remaining four Tests of the India tour will be assessed by medics.

But England, already without paceman Mark Wood until at least the new year due to his ankle complaint, opted against including another seamer in their ranks for the time being as they named an unchanged squad from the two-Test series in Bangladesh.

That leaves Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes, Steven Finn and Jake Ball as the fast bowlers ahead of a gruelling winter on the subcontinent.

Both England captain Alastair Cook and head coach Trevor Bayliss have stressed the need to manage their bowlers' workloads during a period that sees them play seven Tests in nine weeks.

They won the first of those by eking out a 22-run victory over Bangladesh in Chittagong on a wicket that offered plenty of turn from the opening session.

England are likely to be confronted with surfaces conducive to spin against India and the tourists have kept faith with the slow bowling quartet at their disposal as Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Gareth Batty and Zafar Ansari have been retained.

After wrapping up the Bangladesh series in Dhaka, England head to India and the first Test in Rajkot, which gets under way on November 9, with further matches in Visakhapatnam, Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai.

England squad for India Test series: Alistair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Gareth Batty, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Ben Duckett, Steve Finn, Haseeb Hameed, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.

Source: AAP