Liam Dawson Returns for Fourth Test as England Lose WTC Points Over Lord’s Slow Over Rate
Liam Dawson Returns for Fourth Test as England Lose WTC Points Over Lord’s Slow Over Rate
England have recalled spinner Liam Dawson for next week's fourth Test against India after the injured Shoaib Bashir was ruled out for the rest of the series.
England’s fourth Test against India at Old Trafford is drawing plenty of attention, not just because of the series scoreline, but also due to fresh developments in the squad and consequences following their previous victory at Lord’s.
One of the biggest stories is the return of spin-bowling allrounder Liam Dawson, who’s making a comeback to Test cricket after more than eight years. Dawson was named in the squad after offspinner Shoaib Bashir was ruled out for the remainder of the series with a fractured finger. Interestingly, Bashir had sealed the dramatic 22-run win for England in the third Test by taking the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, despite bowling with the same injured finger. His gutsy effort capped off one of the most thrilling matches of the series, and his absence now leaves a gap that Dawson will aim to fill.
Dawson, 35, last played a Test match in July 2017, but has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket, especially for Hampshire. His achievements in recent years include winning the PCA Player-of-the-Year award in 2024 and being named the men’s domestic MVP in 2023. In this season’s County Championship, he has collected 21 wickets across nine matches and also impressed in the Vitality Blast with 11 wickets in ten games. England selector Luke Wright praised Dawson’s form, calling his selection well-earned and timely.
It’s also a bit of a redemption arc Dawson had admitted in an interview last year that Test cricket wasn’t even on his radar anymore. After spending years on the sidelines, his recent performances in T20Is, particularly against West Indies, where he returned career-best figures of 4 for 20, have pushed him back into the spotlight. With Bashir out and the series delicately poised at 2-1, Dawson’s experience and skills could play a critical role in England’s campaign.
However, the celebrations from the Lord’s have come with a cost. England were docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points for a slow over rate during the third Test. Their match fees were also cut by 10%. This penalty has reduced their tally from 24 to 22 points and dropped their WTC percentage from 66.67% to 61.11%, causing them to slip from second to third place on the standings now trailing behind Australia and Sri Lanka.
The third Test itself was a high-intensity contest filled with individual brilliance and tense moments. Jofra Archer bowled one of the fastest spells in recent Test history, while Joe Root and KL Rahul hit centuries to keep their teams neck-and-neck. The first innings for both sides ended at 387, making the match a pure battle of second-innings grit. India were set a target of 193 and fought deep into the final session, with vital contributions from Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Siraj. But England held firm, and despite Bashir’s injury, he came through with the decisive wicket to give England the lead in the series.
Now with Dawson added to a squad already stacked with talent Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Zak Crawley, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, and rising names like Jacob Bethell and Jamie Smith England will be eyeing a 3–1 series win at Old Trafford. But they’ll also be watching the over rate closely to avoid further WTC penalties.
All eyes are on Manchester now not just for the cricketing contest, but also to see how Dawson’s second chance unfolds, and whether England can balance thrilling performances with disciplined execution.