England Bolsters Squad with Gus Atkinson for Upcoming Test Against India

England's Squad Update for the Third Test

London: England has announced the inclusion of pacer Gus Atkinson in their lineup for the third Test match against India, set to commence at Lord's on Thursday, July 10. The 27-year-old fast bowler from Surrey makes his return to the Test squad after recovering from a right hamstring injury sustained during a match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May. His comeback enhances England's bowling strength, having taken 55 wickets in 12 Test matches at an impressive average of 22.30, with his best performance being 7/45, which includes three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul.

In the second Test held in Birmingham, England opted to bowl first once again. They dismissed KL Rahul for just 2 runs early on, but a solid 80-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal (87 runs off 107 balls, including 13 fours) and Karun Nair (31 runs off 50 balls, with five fours) helped India stabilize their innings. Captain Shubman Gill formed crucial partnerships, scoring 269 runs off 387 balls, featuring 30 fours and three sixes, including a 203-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (89 runs off 137 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and a 144-run stand with Washington Sundar (42 runs off 103 balls, with three fours and a six), propelling India to a total of 587.

Shoaib Bashir was the standout bowler for England, taking 3 wickets for 167 runs, while Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue each claimed two wickets. In England's first innings, they found themselves in trouble at 84/5, but a remarkable 303-run partnership between Harry Brook (158 runs off 234 balls, with 17 fours and a six) and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith (184* runs off 207 balls, with 21 fours and four sixes) turned the tide, leading to a total of 407 runs, giving India a 180-run lead.

India quickly responded with a strong start, featuring a rapid half-century partnership between Jaiswal (28 runs off 22 balls, with six fours) and KL Rahul, who scored 55 runs off 84 balls, hitting 10 boundaries. A significant 110-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Rishabh Pant (65 runs off 58 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and Gill further escalated the scoring, while Gill's 175-run partnership with Jadeja saw him score 161 runs off 162 balls, including 13 fours and eight sixes. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 69 runs off 118 balls, leading India to declare at 427/6, setting England a daunting target of 608 runs.

During the chase, England struggled, finding themselves at 50/3. Jamie Smith (88 runs off 99 balls, with nine fours and four sixes) was the only bright spot as England was bowled out for 271 runs, losing by 336 runs, with Akash Deep delivering a stellar performance, taking 6 wickets for 99 runs, achieving a ten-wicket haul.

The England squad for the third Test includes: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes (c), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, and Sam Cook.