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Calcutta: England left James Anderson out of their 12-man squad announced on Sunday for the third and final Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston starting on Thursday. The England selectors insisted the 29-year-old Lancashire star was being omitted to “overcome several minor injury niggles” rather than being rested on grounds of squad rotation.
However, in a move that could cause a rift between the England hierarchy and their leading bowler, Anderson himself insisted he was fit to play in his Sunday newspaper column.
Seamers, Steven Finn and Graham Onions, yet to feature in the series but included in 13-man squad, will compete to fill the place left vacant by Anderson's absence.
However, England could play both bowlers if they rest Anderson’s regular new-ball partner and Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad. An England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement said Anderson had received treatment during the second Test at Trent Bridge for a minor quad problem.
It added that missing the final Test would give Anderson, whose tally of 267 wickets in 70 matches, time to overcome “several minor injuries”.
Anderson has missed just one of England’s past 25 Tests, since he was rested from the 2010 tour of Bangladesh, and national selector Geoff Miller said his omission had been in the “best interests” of the bowler.
Third Test squad
Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, Graham Onions.
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