ENG vs IND 2025: England release squad for upcoming third Test against India at Lords

England has made a quick move to strengthen their bowling after a big 336-run defeat to India in the second Test at Edgbaston. With the third Test at Lord’s starting on Thursday, July 10, the England Men's selection panel has added fast bowler Gus Atkinson to the squad. The 27-year-old, who plays for Surrey, is returning after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during England’s win over Zimbabwe in May.

Atkinson's return comes after England's bowlers struggled in Birmingham, where India scored a massive 587 runs in the first innings, with Shubman Gill smashing 269. England gave away more than 1000 runs across two innings, and skipper Ben Stokes admitted it was disappointing. "At 200/5 we were happy," said Stokes. "But we just weren’t able to blast them open. They ended up getting a big first innings total after us having a good start."

Gus Atkinson adds pace to the attack and has done well in domestic cricket, taking 55 wickets in just 12 matches at an average of 22.30, with best figures of 7/45. His inclusion also raises the possibility of him bowling alongside Jofra Archer, who trained with the squad in Birmingham. Archer is being monitored closely as he prepares for a possible return to Test cricket after nearly four years out with injuries.

England Focused on Boosting Bowling for Lord’s Test

With the series tied 1-1, England are hoping to bounce back strongly at Lord’s. They may rest Brydon Carse or Josh Tongue, who have bowled a lot in the first two Tests, as they aim to refresh the bowling attack. Atkinson’s pace and Archer’s return could help the team put up a stronger fight.

See Also: ENG vs IND: 'He Is the Luckiest to Have So Many Caps' – Former England skipper slams Zak Crawley, urges him to learn from Shubman Gill

The squad changes show England’s urgency to find the right balance and regain control of the series at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

England squad for the third Test vs. India:
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes (c), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, and Sam Cook.

England’s squad for the 3rd Test is out! ⚔

Pace boost incoming! #GusAtkinson has been named in England’s 3rd Test squad as they look to strike back hard at Lord's#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST starts THU, JULY 10, 2:30 PM streaming on JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/oPiKDifS2j

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 7, 2025