England Announce 17-Member Women's Squad For One-off Test vs India Women's In Bristol

England have announced a 17-player squad, which will later be trimmed down, for the upcoming one-off Test against India, starting June 16 at the County Ground in Bristol.

Allrounder Nat Sciver has been named the deputy to captain Heather Knight. Sciver has been promoted as England’s vice-captain in all three formats taking over from Anya Shrubsole.

Emily Arlott, the Central Sparks pacer, is given her maiden call-up to the Test squad. She is coming off a hat-trick in a five-wicket haul against Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she grabbed headlines by taking eight wickets in three games.

This will be the first encounter in Test cricket between the two sides since 2014, which Mithali Raj’s team won. England’s last two Tests – both Ashes contest against Australia – have resulted in a loss and a draw; England haven’t played a Test in more than three years.

For India, this would be the women team’s first Test match in 7 years since their home win over South Africa in 2014.

After the Bristol Test, both teams will engage in 3 ODIs and as many T20Is in preparations for next year’s Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.

Head Coach Lisa Keightley said: “It’s been hard to pick a squad given the balance of needing cover in a COVID world while wanting to give players as much chance as possible to play cricket.

“We want players to have opportunities out in the middle so we’re looking to reduce our numbers slightly ahead of the Test to give the non-selected players that chance.

“I’m really excited by the summer ahead. We’ve been working really hard across the last 10 weeks, India are a strong side and it’s the beginning of a two-year journey for us that takes in two ICC World Cups, an Ashes and the Commonwealth Games.”

England squad for one-off Test vs India:

Heather Knight (C), Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (VC), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield-Hill

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