The tourists named their XI on the eve of the match in Hyderabad and handed left-arm spinner Tom Hartley his first test cap.

England have brought in three specialist spinners as well as Joe Root, a veteran batsman who also bowls.

Mark Wood remains the only fast bowler in the team, who Stokes called an "X-factor" on a pitch that is expected to assist the spinners.

India, who remain unbeaten at home in a test series since 2012 when Alastair Cook's England beat them 2-1, come in with three spinners and two seamers. Uncapped batsman Rajat Patidar has joined the squad as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who withdrew from the first two tests due to "personal reasons.

England spinner Shoaib Bashir is not in the line-up for the first test but has received his visa for India and will join the touring team this weekend, the country's cricket board said late Wednesday.

--ChannelAfrica--