England recall spinner Liam Dawson for fourth Test to replace Shoaib Bashir

Rhyl Journal

a day ago

The 35-year-old made the last of his three Test appearances eight years ago but looks set for an unexpected return at Emirates Old Trafford following Bashir's withdrawal.
Bashir took the match-winning wicket in a tense finish at Lord's on Monday evening, having already broken the little finger on his left hand. He is set for surgery in the coming days and will miss the remainder of the series.
Welcome, Daws! 👋
Spinner Liam Dawson joins our squad for the Fourth Test match against India 🏏
Full story 👇
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 15, 2025
Dawson has been picked ahead of fellow left-armer Jack Leach, despite the latter being centrally contracted.
'Liam Dawson deserves his call-up. He has been in outstanding form in the County Championship and consistently puts in strong performances for Hampshire,' said selector Luke Wright.
Leach has played 39 Tests and was the long-term number one before being usurped by county colleague Bashir. He was England's top wicket-taker on the tour of Pakistan over the winter but now appears to have slipped even further back in the pecking order.
Dawson offers a superior all-round package, with 18 first-class centuries to his name, and returned to the England fold for the first time under Brendon McCullum earlier this summer.
The Hampshire stalwart featured in the T20 series against the West Indies, taking four for 20 in his comeback match at Durham.
Speaking after the game, he admitted: 'I had got to an age where I probably thought international cricket was gone.
'In my domestic career, I've tried to go out there and just enjoy playing for whoever I'm playing for. It was about going out there and not worrying about playing for England.
'I think that can hamper you sometimes, so I've not really worried about that. I'm at an age now where I know that I'm close to finishing. I'm on the edge of that. So now it's just about enjoyment, trying to work smarter in your training and just believing that you're good enough.'
England have thinned their squad to 14 for the trip to Manchester, allowing pace bowlers Jamie Overton and Sam Cook to return to Surrey and Essex respectively.
Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson are included and will be considered should England opt to rest Chris Woakes or Brydon Carse, who have been ever present in the series to date. Woakes is likeliest to step down after failing to find his best form, with Dawson's arrival potentially helping cover his batting duties at number eight.