An eye infection contracted by Matt Prior, England’s first-choice wicketkeeper, has prompted the selectors to call up Steven Davies, of Surrey, as cover for the third Test.
Davies, who has played eight one-day internationals, was summoned from Horsham, where he is playing in the championship match against Sussex.
He will be released if, as expected, Prior is passed fit and continues an unbroken run in the side, which stands at 39 successive Tests stretching back to 2009.
Jonny Bairstow, who keeps wicket for Yorkshire, has not been considered as he seeks to establish himself in only his third Test.
While England remained reticent about their selection plans, publicly at least, West Indies dropped a strong hint that Sunil Narine, their exciting, unorthodox off spinner, will make his Test debut at Edgbaston after claiming 34 wickets in a first-class career spanning only six matches.
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“Everyone is calling him the mystery spinner and he could come in and make an impact for us,” Darren Sammy, the West Indies captain, said.
Narine is expected to replace Shane Shillingford while Tino Best, West Indies’ explosive seam bowler, could play his first Test since 2009. Narsingh Deonarine, their all-rounder, is also in contention to replace Kirk Edwards, the vice captain.
England (from): A J Strauss (capt), A N Cook, I J L Trott, K P Pietersen, I R Bell, J M Bairstow, M J Prior or S M Davies, T T Bresnan, S C J Broad, G P Swann, S T Finn, G O Onions.
West Indies (from): D J G Sammy (capt), A B Barath, K A O Powell, N Deonarine, K A Edwards, D M Bravo, S Chanderpaul, M N Samuels, D Ramdin (wkt), R Rampaul, T Best, S P Narine, F Edwards.