England recall Dawson to squad for fourth Test

Spinner Liam Dawson is in line to play his first Test for eight years after being called into the England squad for the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford.

Left-armer Dawson, 35, is recalled after off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was ruled out of the rest of the series with a broken finger.

Dawson's selection means fellow left-armer Jack Leach, who has an England central contract, has been overlooked.

Leach was replaced as England's first-choice spinner by Bashir last year, but still played three Tests in Pakistan and was part of the squad that toured New Zealand over the winter.

For Dawson, this is a hard-earned call-up and reward for some outstanding form in domestic cricket. The Hampshire man has been named the Professional Cricketers' Association player of the year in each of the past two seasons.

Part of the England squad that won the 2019 World Cup, he was overlooked by England for three years before making his international return in the T20 series against West Indies earlier this summer.

"Liam Dawson deserves his call-up. He has been in outstanding form in the County Championship and consistently puts in strong performances for Hampshire," said national selector Luke Wright.

While Dawson would be the like-for-like replacement for Bashir as the frontline spinner in the England XI, there is also the option of Jacob Bethell, primarily a batter who bowls some left-arm spin.

However, England have also favoured a frontline spinner since Ben Stokes became captain in 2022. Only once, during the second Ashes Test at Lord's in 2023, have England gone into a Test without a spinner under Stokes' leadership.

Dawson also offers a boost to England's batting at number eight. His first-class batting average of 35.29 outstrips that of opener Zak Crawley.

The injury to Bashir gives Dawson an unexpected opportunity to press his claim as a Test spinner, possibly earning a place on this winter's Ashes tour or even usurping Bashir as first-choice.

Dawson won the first of his three Test caps against India in Chennai in 2016 and last against South Africa at Trent Bridge the following year. He has taken seven wickets and also scored a half-century.