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Joe Root is in line to play an unconventional role during the first Test of England’s series against India, which begins in the early hours of Thursday.
Ben Stokes admitted that the former captain could open the bowling in Hyderabad as the visiting team is loaded with spinners.
As has become customary in the Stokes–McCullum era, England declared their eleven a day before the toss.
Mark Wood is the only seam bowler selected, with Stokes still not fit to bowl as he is recovering from knee surgery.
Joe Root is in line for an unusual role for England against India
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Three frontline spin bowlers have been selected, which will include debutant Tom Hartley along with Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed.
With Shoaib Bashir not yet in India due to visa issues, Root is the only off-spinner available for Stokes.
If India opt to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Root could be called into action early.
Stokes will go with a spontaneous decision, telling a press conference: “As I said about the pitches, it will be a completely and totally serious thing, as most of my decisions are.
“Based on what I feel you may even see Rooty getting the new ball.
“If Jaiswal opens the batting, you can see Rooty opening the bowling with that new ball because it is spinning away from the bat.”
Stokes expects the pitch to be favorable for his spinners, with Wood facing short, fast spells.
The 32-year-old is not worried about choosing just one fast bowler.
Stokes said: “I don’t necessarily think it’s bold or daring, it’s just me and Baz [Brendon McCullum] Looking at the wicket and picking the XI that we think will give us the best chance.
“You always have to think that the ball is going to turn in India, but you don’t want to go in with any preconceived ideas.
“We have to embrace whatever is presented to us with bat and ball,” he said.
“India is one of those places where you have to think a lot more about selection than anywhere else in the world, because of what you can get out of the wicket.”
The uncapped Hartley had become a regular in Lancashire’s County Championship team the previous season.
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Tom Hartley will make his England Test debut against India
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But Stokes has already seen enough to feel he can be a handful in overseas conditions.
“Tom is someone who is obviously very tall,” he said.
“He bowls very hard pace here and he is someone who gets a lot of natural variation, which is sometimes the hardest thing to face, in India where you get two balls on the same ball, and One goes square and may skid and pick up speed.
England captain Ben Stokes will play only as a batsman against India
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“So it’s about trying to give ourselves the best chance of being able to take advantage of the conditions that we have experienced here from the Indian opposition as well.”
Ben Fox will return to the team and take charge, while Jonny Bairstow will return to the number five position.
Ollie Pope is also playing for the first time since dislocating his shoulder in the second Ashes Test last summer.
The first ball of the first Test will be bowled at 4 am UK time on Thursday morning.
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