England could pick Ollie Pope AND Jacob Bethell against India - but only with one key omission to side
England could yet squeeze Ollie Pope and Jacob Bethell into the same team for next week's first Test against India – but only if they arrive at Headingley to find a seam-friendly pitch that encourages them to leave out spinner Shoaib Bashir.
Ben Stokes has repeatedly stressed his preference for going into a Test match with a frontline slow bowler, whatever the conditions. And since last year's tour of India, that slow bowler has been the 21-year-old Bashir, who has responded with 58 wickets in his first 16 games – including nine in last month's innings win over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.
But team sources have not ruled out the possibility of omitting Bashir should conditions encourage them to play a four-man seam attack, Stokes included. And that would allow them to avoid a tricky choice between Pope, the incumbent at No 3, and Bethell, who thrived in that position during his debut series in New Zealand before Christmas.
The situation was complicated by the ECB's agreement with the Indian board that England players who had signed up for this year's IPL would remain at the tournament until the end, which ruled Bethell out of the Zimbabwe Test. Batting for his future, Pope made 171 in that game, and is expecting to start at No 3 against India.
The pitches at Headingley for Yorkshire's home championship games this season have been well-grassed, with 12mm left on the surface in a bid to produce results on the county's return to division one.
But Bashir's saving grace could be Yorkshire's desire for the Test to last into the fourth day at least, for financial reasons. On a flat surface, he will be an automatic selection.
England and India are set to award a new Pataudi medal to the winning captain of their five-match series. The teams had previously played for the Pataudi Trophy, but this week inaugurated the new Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy. The Nawab of Pataudi remains the only Test cricketer to have represented both countries.
Meanwhile, South Africa's bowlers fought back on another topsy-turvy day in the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Australia had taken charge thanks to Pat Cummins's magnificent six for 28, including his 300th wicket in Tests, to skittle the South Africans for 138 and earn an apparently priceless lead of 74.
But Kagiso Rabada followed his first-innings five-for by removing Usman Khawaja for six and Cameron Green for a duck, before Marco Jansen had Marnus Labuschagne caught behind for 22.
Three wickets for Lungi Ngidi, who had struggled on the first day, helped reduce Australia to 73 for seven.
Alex Carey turned the tide again with a fighting 43, adding 61 with Mitchell Starc, before Rabada pinned Carey leg-before.
The Australians closed on 144 for eight, a lead of 218, to set up a potentially thrilling third day. 'We're in a good position,' said Ngidi. 'But chasing anything under 250 won't be easy.'
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