England have turned to Liam Dawson for the fourth Test against India, the left-arm spinner replacing the injured Shoaib Bashir and ending an eight-year wait for a recall.
Bashir fractured the little finger on his left hand during the Lord’s win that nudged the series 2-1 in England’s favour. Surgery has already put a wire through the digit, ruling him out for the rest of the summer. Dawson, 35, steps in for what will be his fourth Test cap and the first since July 2017.
Ben Stokes, announcing the XI on Monday, said the decision was straightforward. “We wanted the extra spinner at Old Trafford and Daws has been bowling beautifully for Hampshire for a long time,” the captain noted. The rest of the Lord’s side remains unchanged.
Few county players have pressed harder than Dawson. Since the start of 2023 he has picked up 124 first-class wickets at 25.64 and scored 1,492 runs at 55.3, form that brought last year’s PCA men’s player-of-the-year gong. Nine centuries in five seasons point to a genuine all-rounder rather than a bits-and-pieces option.
Harry Brook, standing in for media duties, offered the headline quote. “He’s a wily, old fox,” Brook said. “He’s very experienced and a very skilful cricketer. He’s played everywhere, played against everyone so hopefully he can have an amazing performance this week. As we’ve seen over the Test series, the footholes have been for the left-handed batters outside off, so hopefully he can land it in the footholes and create a bit of spice and some opportunities to take wickets. He’s willing to always fight for the team, he’s very competitive and it’s good to have him here.”
Dawson’s recent international return actually came in the shorter format, taking 4 for 20 in a T20 against West Indies earlier this summer. A useful warm-up, yet red-ball cricket is the bigger ask: longer spells, less margin for error, craft over crash.
England have resisted the urge to shuffle their seamers. Gus Atkinson has been kept on ice after a hamstring problem and the wet Manchester outfield encouraged caution. Chris Woakes, who many thought might sit out, retains his place despite seven wickets at 56.42 in the series. The numbers are unflattering, but his Old Trafford record – 35 wickets at 17.37, plus 221 runs at 36.83 – swung the call.
Woakes admitted his bowling rhythm has been off but sounded upbeat. “I love bowling up here. You get a bit of bounce with the slope and the crowd is always on your side,” he said in a brief TV slot.
Conditions could favour spin late in the match. Old Trafford surfaces often dry under sun and wind, leaving rough outside the right-hander’s off stump. If Dawson can find it, England hope the attack will not feel the loss of Bashir too keenly. The veteran also lengthens the batting, likely slotting in at No. 8 beneath debut wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
India, meanwhile, must win to keep the series alive. Their batters struggled against pace at Lord’s, but the threat from a fresh left-arm spinner is different: quieter, slower, still dangerous if control is right.
England XI:
1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Brydon Carse, 11 Jofra Archer.
First ball on Wednesday, weather permitting.
