India vs England: Mark Wood recalled as tourists name two seamers for Third Test

England will unleash the pace of Mark Wood on India’s new-look batting lineup when the Third Test begins in Rajkot on Thursday, as they look to regain control of the five-match series.

Wood has been recalled in place of young spinner Shoaib Bashir in the only change from the Second Test, as England plumped for a two-seamer strategy for the first time in the series, which is level at 1-1.

Rehan Ahmed’s visa issues have been ironed out, meaning the teenager keeps his place in the XI. Bashir instead makes way, despite taking four wickets in an assured debut in Vizag.

Wood started the First Test in Hyderabad as the lone fast bowler, but did not appear suited to the role and failed to take a wicket, as England’s spinners came to the fore to inspire a famous win.

He was left out of the Second Test defeat in favour of James Anderson, but now returns to play alongside the veteran, with England anticipating more seam-friendly conditions at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, where they have played just once before.

“Taking a bit of knowledge from the last Test match we played here [in 2016], albeit a long time ago, it was a pretty true, flat wicket,” England captain Ben Stokes said. “Looking at it today, it looks a bit platey, but I think it’s a good wicket.”

The series opener was Wood’s first Test match in India, but the 34-year-old excelled in subcontinental conditions on the tour of Pakistan little more than a year ago, when his pace proved a vital point of difference on flat pitches.

The Second Test performance of Anderson — who is just five wickets away from a landmark 700 in Test cricket — and a green covering on the Rajkot pitch has given the tourists fresh belief that Wood can unsettle a home lineup missing the likes of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.

It is set to be gruelling work, however, with temperatures this weekend forecast to reach highs of 35 degrees.

England have again named only four specialist bowlers in their side, with Joe Root set to play a key role with the ball after lead spinner Jack Leach flew home from the tour with a knee injury.

England decided against calling up a replacement, leaving Tom Hartley and Ahmed as their frontline spin options this week. The latter has been cleared to play despite initially being denied entry back into India when England returned from their mid-series break in Abu Dhabi on Monday night.

An administrative oversight from the ECB meant Ahmed did not have the multi-entry visa required to fly in and out of the country during the gaps in the series, but emergency paperwork was granted to allow the 19-year-old to train in the run-up to the Third Test and the problem has now been resolved.

"The great thing about youth is they just take everything in their stride,” said Stokes, who will win his 100th Test cap this week. “[Ahmed] handled a situation that could have affected quite a lot of people in a different way very, very well for such a young kid.

"There was no thoughts around not playing him this week. The Test matches he's played so far, he's done very, very well and everything we've asked of him he's gone out and tried to deliver."