Sophie Ecclestone: England spinner returns for India series in December
- Published
Sophie Ecclestone took 20 wickets in the summer's drawn multi-format Ashes series
Sophie Ecclestone has been included in England's squads for the tour of India in December after recovering from a shoulder injury.
Left-arm spinner Ecclestone, 24, dislocated her shoulder during The Hundred and required surgery.
The India series consists of three T20s, starting on 6 December, and a four-day Test from 14-17 December.
Heather Knight will lead both sides, while experienced seamer Kate Cross has only been included in the Test squad.
Batter Bess Heath, 22, is included in both squads after making her one-day international debut against Sri Lanka in September, while all-rounder Alice Capsey, 19, could make her Test debut, having already established herself in England's white-ball sides.
Bowling all-rounder Danielle Gibson, 22, and fast bowler Mahika Gaur, 17, are included in the T20 squad after making their white-ball debuts in the summer.
Fast bowler Lauren Filer, 22, is included in the Test squad after an impressive Ashes debut in the format in June.
"Sophie is working her way back to full fitness," said head coach Jon Lewis on Ecclestone's return.
"We expect her to play, but getting people back to fitness isn't always linear so we will have to see how she progresses over the next few weeks.
"The medical people are telling me she will be ready, but we will build her up gradually, and a lot of it will be getting her confidence back in her own body."
England women squads for India tour:
T20: Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Heather Knight (capt), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt.
Test: Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight (capt), Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt.
England impressed during the summer's Ashes against Australia to draw the series 8-8 on points.
However, a more inexperienced side were disappointingly beaten by Sri Lanka in September's T20 series and struggled in particular batting against spin, an aspect of their game that will be tested in India.
Some of England's batters went to a training camp in Mumbai in October before Australia's Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) started, and the whole squad will travel to Oman for another camp before the India series starts.
It is the first time that England have toured India since 2019 and will be crucial for Lewis' side as they build towards next year's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and the 2025 50-over World Cup in India.
"India are one of the strongest sides in the world so it will be a good challenge, but with those two World Cups coming up in the subcontinent, it is a very important tour for us," added Lewis.
"A lot of our players won't have played international cricket in India before and it is a unique experience, so it will give us some insight into how we play in those conditions."
An England A side will also travel to Oman and then play three T20s against India A, with seamer Tash Farrant, 27, returning to the set-up after a long absence from the game with back stress fractures.
Fast bowler Issy Wong, 21, is also included in the A squad after struggling with her run-up during the summer, which meant she did not feature in the Ashes.
Meanwhile, Chris Liddle has been appointed England women's performance pace bowling coach.
The former Leicestershire, Sussex and Gloucestershire bowler joins England from Nottinghamshire, where he was assistant head coach and fast bowling coach.