England Adds Jamie Overton to Squad Ahead of Final Test vs India
England has called in fast-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton for the final Test match against India, which will be played at The Oval. The team’s bowlers are tired after spending over 143 overs on the field in the fourth Test in Manchester. The match ended in a draw, and captain Ben Stokes said the squad needs “fresh legs” to finish the series strong.
Stokes himself had injury concerns during the last match but still believes he’ll play in the final game, saying it’s “very unlikely” he’ll sit out.
Some bowlers like Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse have played all four matches. Jofra Archer has only played two games since returning from a four-year injury break.
With the final Test starting just a few days after the last one ended, England is looking to strengthen their squad. That’s why they added Overton, who last played a Test in 2022. Overton joins Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue in the pace bowling unit. All three might be needed for this final game.
However, Overton and Atkinson haven’t had much match time recently. Overton, who’s 31, only played one first-class game since May because of a finger injury. Atkinson, 27, was a star earlier this year with 52 Test wickets but has been out due to a hamstring injury.
Atkinson played a local amateur match recently and even took a fitness test before the fourth Test, but England decided he wasn’t ready. He then played in a second-team match for Surrey.
Josh Tongue has already taken 11 wickets in the first two matches of the series. He stayed with the team but was allowed to play for Nottinghamshire last week to stay in form.
