England: Saqib Mahmood to make long-awaited Test debut against West Indies

Saqib Mahmood will make his long-awaited Test debut for England in Barbados, replacing Mark Wood in the XI after Ollie Robinson was deemed too much of a risk.

Saqib first appeared in a Test squad back in September 2019 but, despite picking up nine ODI caps and 12 in Twenty20 cricket, this week’s clash against the West Indies will be his first opportunity to prove his red-ball credentials at the highest level.

Robinson has also been pushing for selection after recovering well from the back spasms that kept him out of the drawn first Test but, having previously aired concerns over his conditioning and seen him struggle with the demands of five-day cricket, England have erred on the side of caution.

A Test debut for @SaqMahmood25!

#WIvENG

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 15, 2022

While that may say something about Robinson’s current stock that captain Joe Root and interim head coach feel Chris Woakes and Craig Overton are more reliable options after sending down 39 and 42 overs respectively last week, it may also be a reaction to Wood’s mid-game withdrawal with an elbow injury.

His absence for the second half of the match in Antigua placed a heavy burden on the rest of the attack and potentially took some of the heat out of England‘s push for victory.

Although Saqib is not able to consistently clear the 90mph barrier like Wood, the Lancashire seamer is the closest to a like-for-like replacement and comfortably the quickest of those available.

A canny purveyor of reverse swing who excelled with the white-ball against Pakistan in the summer, Saqib has long been tipped for the top by team-mates and mentors at Emirates Old Trafford. Root, who watched the 25-year-old closely during a long workout in the nets on