Anderson left out of Test squad for India

James Anderson has not been included in England’s initial 16-man squad for the five-Test series against world No 1 ranked side India.

Opening batsman Alex Hales has also been omitted from the travelling party after deciding against touring to Bangladesh this month.

Anderson, his country’s record Test wicket-taker with 463 wickets in 119 matches, misses out - for now at least - after being ruled out of next month’s opener in Rajkot as he continues his recovery from a damaged shoulder.

A recurrence of the injury forced the 34-year-old to miss the ongoing series against Bangladesh and his availability for the remaining four Tests of the India tour will be assessed by medics.

But England, already without paceman Mark Wood until at least January due to an ankle problem, opted against including another seamer in their ranks for the time being as they named an unchanged squad from the two-Test series in Bangladesh.

That leaves Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes, Steven Finn and Jake Ball as the fast bowlers ahead of a gruelling winter on the subcontinent.

Both England captain Alastair Cook and head coach Trevor Bayliss have stressed the need to manage their bowlers` workloads during a hectic period that sees them play seven Tests in nine weeks.

They won the first of those by securing a 22-run victory over Bangladesh in a dramatic match in Chittagong on a wicket that offered plenty of turn from the opening session.

England are likely to be confronted with surfaces conducive to spin against India and the tourists have kept faith with the slow bowling quartet at their disposal, with Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Gareth Batty and Zafar Ansari retained.

After completing the Bangladesh series - with the second and final Test getting underway in Dhaka on Friday, live on Sky Sports - England head to India and the first Test in Rajkot, which starts on November 9. They then play in Visakhapatnam, Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai.

England squad for India Test series: AN Cook (Captain), MM Ali, ZS Ansari, JM Bairstow (wkt), JT Ball, GS Ballance, GJ Batty, SCJ Broad, JC Buttler, BM Duckett, ST Finn, H Hameed, AU Rashid, JE Root, BA Stokes, CR Woakes.

Source: Skysports