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England has unveiled their lineup for the 3rd Test showdown with West Indies at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Riding high on a commanding 2-0 series lead, Ben Stokes and his squad appear in peak form.
With the series already secured and the Richards-Botham Trophy in hand, England sets its sights on a series whitewash and valuable World Test Championship (WTC) points.
Meanwhile, West Indies, playing for honor, seek a stronger display to bolster confidence ahead of their forthcoming home series against South Africa.
England have named an unchanged playing XI for the 3rd Test against West Indies at Edgbaston.
England has opted to stick with the same XI for the third Test against West Indies. Despite already sealing the series victory, Ben Stokes has chosen continuity over tinkering, keeping faith in the winning formula that has served them well so far.
Playing XI
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Jamie Smith (wk)
8. Chris Woakes
9. Gus Atkinson
10. Mark Wood
11. Shoaib Bashir
England will be hopeful for Zak Crawley and Ben Stokes to return to form.
England will be looking to Zak Crawley to rediscover his batting touch, as the young opener has managed just 79 runs across three innings so far in the series. Skipper Ben Stokes, too, has struggled with the bat, accumulating only 81 runs at an average of 27 in the same span. On a brighter note, wicketkeeper Jamie Smith has impressed both with his batting prowess and skills behind the stumps.
In the bowling department, fast bowler Gus Atkinson has emerged as the standout performer of the series, claiming 16 wickets in two Tests, with a notable haul of 12 wickets in the first match. Chris Woakes has also made an impact with 7 wickets at an average of 21.71 across the series. However, the highlight for England came from offspinner Shoaib Bashir, who recorded figures of 5-41 in the second innings at Nottingham, marking the first five-wicket haul at the ground since Muttiah Muralitharan in 2006.
Despite initial expectations of rest, fast bowler Mark Wood retains his place in the squad. Although he was unlucky not to pick up many wickets in the Nottingham Test, his performance showed promise.
The third Test is scheduled from July 26-30. In the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, England currently occupies the sixth position with five victories and six defeats, while West Indies lag behind in the last position with one win and four defeats.
