ENG vs IND 2018: Moeen Ali, James Porter released by ECB for T20 Blast

England finished Day 1 on 285 for 9.

Moeen Ali is not a part of the England playing XI in the first Test. (Getty)

Initially included in the 13 man England squad for the first Test, Moeen Ali and James Porter has been released by the ECB to participate in the T20 Blast. They will play for their respective county sides for Worcestershire and Essex after being released from the squad. 

Interestingly despite Moeen Ali being there in the initial squad, he did not find a place in the playing XI. Adil Rashid after his controversial comeback to Test cricket was chosen as the lone specialist spinner for the first Test at Edgbaston. 

Meanwhile, Porter, who took three wickets against the tourists in their only warm-up game ahead of the series, will have to wait longer to make his Test debut. 

Moeen will play in two back-to-back games - against Durham at home on Friday (August 3) and away to Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Saturday (August 4). Porter will also be available for two consecutive games - against Kent at Canterbury on Thursday (August 2) and at Taunton against Somerset on Friday.

With Ravichandran Ashwin picking up 4 wickets in England's first innings, England will pin their hopes on Rashid to do the job for them when they take the field. 

The first Test match which has already started in Birmingham saw England score 285 for 9 in 88 overs on Day 1. While  Root (80) and Bairstow (70) scored fifties, Ravichandran Ashwin as said earlier took 4 wickets and was the pick of the Indian bowlers. 

(Inputs from Cricbuzz)

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 02 Aug, 2018

    Share Via