No assurances over England number three - Wright

England selector Luke Wright stopped short of backing incumbent number 3 Ollie Pope aft Jacob Bethell was included successful nan squad for nan first Test against India.

Bethell, 21, returns aft missing nan conclusion of Zimbabwe while astatine nan Indian Premier League pinch Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Before that match, Test skipper Ben Stokes appeared to propose Bethell would make an contiguous return to nan XI erstwhile available. After vice-captain Pope made a sparkling period astatine Trent Bridge, Stokes clarified that he was referring to Bethell returning to nan squad and claimed his earlier comments had been "twisted to suit an agenda".

Although Pope is still expected to clasp his spot astatine Headingley, Wright said: "We'll get together erstwhile we get up to Leeds and denote that 2 days retired from nan Test.

"We'll see everything: conditions, what has gone before. All of those considerations spell into nan pouring pot."

Left-hander Bethell made 3 half-centuries successful New Zealand astatine nan extremity of past year, batting astatine number 3 aft Pope slid down nan bid to guidelines successful arsenic wicketkeeper.

Though he opted to miss nan Zimbabwe Test successful bid to play astatine nan IPL, he further impressed successful nan first one-day world against West Indies past week pinch 82 astatine Edgbaston.

On nan imaginable of Bethell playing successful nan first Test, Wright said he is "very close".

Wright added: "It's a awesome action to have. What a talent we each spot successful him. It's a awesome rumor to have, to person that extent successful nan squad."

Bethell could unit opener Zak Crawley aliases frontline spinner Shoaib Bashir for a spot successful nan XI but realistically it is simply a prime betwixt nan Warwickshire man and Pope.

Former England all-rounder Wright rejected nan proposal that nan deficiency of clarity astir Bethell's position could unsettle nan established members of nan squad.

"Everyone knows earlier you spell into immoderate crippled location are ever places up for grabs," said Wright. "I don't deliberation anyone takes it for granted successful world cricket. That's nan measurement it ever should be.

"You want a beardown squad. They are each large lads who cognize what it is each about. There will ever beryllium speculation astir what that XI will be. I'm judge nan players will beryllium very alert of what's going connected and really it's going to look earlier that first Test."

Elsewhere, Jamie Overton returns to nan Test squad for nan first clip successful 3 years, but Matthew Potts misses out.

Wright explained that England wanted nan action of Overton's other pace, while Potts had fallen down Sam Cook successful nan domiciled of Chris Woakes' new-ball understudy.

It was besides confirmed that Jofra Archer is readying to play for Sussex successful their County Championship lucifer astatine Durham, opening connected 22 June.

Archer, has not played red-ball cricket for much than 4 years because of a drawstring of injuries.

He would person played for England Lions against India A astatine Northampton connected Friday had it not been for a thumb injury.

Instead he will look to play for nan Sussex 2nd XI, past nan first squad astatine Chester-le-Street, pinch a position to being disposable for nan 2nd aliases 3rd Test against India.