England Drop Jonny Bairstow as Dillon Pennington and Jamie Smith Get Maiden Call-up for First 2 Tests Against West Indies

England left out Jonny Bairstow and recalled Chris Woakes while drafting in the uncapped duo of Nottinghamshire seamer Dillon Pennington and Surrey batter Jamie Smith from a 14-man squad announced on Sunday for the first two Tests of next month’s three-match series against the West Indies.

Gus Atkinson is the other uncapped player in the Ben Stokes-led side though the Surrey bowler was part of the squad that toured India earlier this year.

There was no place in the squad either for Ben Foakes, the first-choice wicketkeeper in a Surrey team where the 23-year-old Smith is often deployed as a specialist batsman.

Woakes returned to the test squad for the first time since July 2023 in what will be England pace great James Anderson’s farewell series. Anderson, test cricket’s most successful fast bowler, will retire after the first test at Lord’s beginning on July 10.

“The first test of the summer is always a special moment, but it will be extra poignant with it being Jimmy’s last test before he retires,” Managing Director for England men’s cricket, Rob Key, said in a statement.

“He has given everything to the sport since his test debut in 2003. We all would like to wish him well as he walks out at Lord’s for the last time for England.

“We are looking forward to getting the season underway against a strong West Indies side in what will be an excellent test series.”

The second test is scheduled at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, while the series will conclude with the third match in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

England’s 14-man squad for the first two Tests of a three-match series against the West Indies: Ben Stokes (capt), James Anderson (First Test only), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Dillon Pennington, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes

Fixtures

Jul 10-14: England v West Indies, 1st Test, Lord’s, London

Jul 18-22: England v West Indies, 2nd Test, Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Jul 26-30: England v West Indies, 3rd Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham

(With inputs from Agencies)

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