England has recalled Spinner Liam Dawson for next week’s fourth Rothesay test against India, where the all-rounder replaces the injured Shoaib Bashir.
The 35-year-old made the last of his three test performances eight years ago, but looks like an unexpected return to Emirates Old Trafford after the withdrawal of Bashir.
Bashir took the game -winning Wicket in a tense finish on Lord’s on Monday evening, after he had already broken the little finger on his left. He has been set up for an operation in the coming days and will miss the rest of the series.
Dawson has been picked for fellow-left-old Jack Leach, even though the latter is contracted centrally.
“Liam Dawson earns his call-up. He is in excellent form in the County Championship and has consistently strong performance for Hampshire,” said Selector Luke Wright.
Leach played 39 tests and was the number one in the long term before he was used by the provincial colleague Bashir. He was the best wicket-maker in England during the tour through Pakistan in the winter, but now seems to have gone further back in the pecking order.
Dawson offers a superior all -round package, with 18 first -class centuries to his name, and returned earlier this summer for the first time to the English fold under Brendon McCullum.
The Hampshire Stalwart played in the T20 series against West -India and took four for 20 in his comeback match in Durham.
After the game, he admitted: “I had come an era in which I probably thought the international cricket was gone.
“In my domestic career I tried to go outside and just enjoy playing for whom I play. It was about going outside and not worrying about playing for England.
“I think you can sometimes hinder that, so I am not really worried about that. I am now at an age where I am almost ready. I am on the edge there. So now it’s just about pleasure, trying to work smarter and just believe that you are good enough.”
England has diluted their team to 14 for the trip to Manchester, allowing Tempo Bowlers Jamie Overton and Sam Cook to return to Surrey and Essex respectively.
Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson have been admitted and will be considered when England chooses to let Chris Woakes or Brydon Carse rest, who have always been present in the series so far. Woakes is most likely to resign after he has not found his best form, with the arrival of Dawson who may help to cover his batting tasks at number eight.
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