Rookie Shoaib Bashir has been handed a shock call-up for England's new year Test tour of India, just six months after making his first-class debut for Somerset.
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The 20-year-old off-spinner has made just six senior red-ball appearances, taking 10 wickets at an average of 67, but earned a spot on a recent England Lions training camp in the United Arab Emirates and impressed enough to be fast-tracked into the main squad.
Bashir is one of three uncapped players in a 16-strong group, though Lancashire's left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and Surrey fast bowler Gus Atkinson have represented their country in white-ball cricket and were fancied to make the trip.
For Atkinson it is a quick return to India having been in the World Cup squad.
Bashir represents a much bold choice. Speaking to the Somerset website just a matter of weeks ago, he suggested he had not even expected to be involved with the Lions this winter.
England made a similar call this time last year when they drafted teenager Rehan Ahmed for the tour of Pakistan. He went on to become the country's youngest male Test cricketer at just 18 and took five wickets on debut in Karachi.
Fresh from an encouraging ODI series in the Caribbean, leg-spinner Ahmed returns to the Test squad as part of a slow-bowling group led by Jack Leach. Leach is fit again after a stress fracture of the back saw him miss last summer's Ashes series.
England begin the first of five games against India in Hyderabad on January 25. Ben Stokes is hoping to be fit to lead the side but is currently in rehabilitation having undergone surgery on his longstanding left knee injury.
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes travels despite losing the gloves to Jonny Bairstow against Australia and could be a strong candidate to break back into the first choice XI given the importance of the role in the sub-continent.
With Stuart Broad retired, there are four fast bowlers chosen: James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and Atkinson.
England squad for Test tour of India: B Stokes (c), R Ahmed, J Anderson, G Atkinson, J Bairstow (wk), S Bashir, H Brook, Z Crawley, B Duckett, B Foakes (wk), T Hartley, J Leach, O Pope, O Robinson, J Root, M Wood.
1st Test: India v England, 25-29 January, Hyderabad
2nd Test: India v England, 2-6 February, Visakhapatnam
3rd Test: India v England, 15-19 February, Rajkot
4th Test: India v England, 23-27 February, Ranchi
5th Test: India v England, 7-11 March, Dharamsala
Australian Associated Press
