James Coles in line for England debut after India T20I call-up


The Call-Up James Coles, 22, Sussex all-rounder, earns first England T20I call-up Role: Right-hand batter, left-arm spin bowler. Only uncapped player in 17-man squad. National selector Marcus North: “An exciting addition… earned his place following his performances with the England Lions and in T20 competitions here and abroad during the past 12 months”. England's third and final Test against New Zealand starts on Thursday, meaning that a fifth day could run until Monday evening. Brook, as England's white-ball captain, would then travel around 150 miles from Nottingham to Chester-le-Street on Tuesday before leading England in their first T20I against world champions India on Wednesday evening. England have named an enlarged 17-man squad for the five-match T20I series, which features the uncapped Sussex allrounder James Coles but is otherwise very similar to the side that lost to India in the T20 World Cup semi-finals in March. Jos Buttler retains his spot after a quiet World Cup, while Liam Dawson is another notable retention at 36. England Squad ChangesCaptain: Harry Brook, Full squad: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood. Returns: Jordan Cox, Sonny Baker, Saqib Mahmood – missed T20 World Cup 2026Out injured: Brydon Carse, Jamie Overton. Why 17 players: Series starts just after NZ Test series ends, allows flexibility. It is not the last time that England players will face tight turnarounds this summer. Several players, including Brook, are likely to be involved in both the third and final ODI against India on July 19 and the opening game of the Hundred on July 21, while the Hundred's final is on August 16, with England's first Test against Pakistan starting three days later. The India series marks the start of a new T20I cycle for England, leading into the Olympics (where England players are likely to dominate the Team GB squad) and the T20 World Cup in 2028. It will also see Shreyas Iyer take over from Suryakumar Yadav as India's captain, while teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could make his international debut. India named a strong squad for the three-match ODI series that follows on Sunday, featuring Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (fitness permitting) and Jasprit Bumrah. England are yet to name their squad for the 50-over leg, with questions to answer around the identity of Duckett's opening partner and the balance of their side. Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), James Coles, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood