Dawid Malan shelved from Lord's Test's squad

Following a prolonged lean run, Dawid Malan has been dropped from the English squad for the 2nd Test against India, at Lord's. The 20-year old Ollie Pope has been called up as Malan's replacement.

Chris Woakes also returns to the squad, substituting Ben Stokes who will be missing the Lord's Test on charges of an altercation and needs to be present in a scheduled hearing at Bristol Crown Court.

Malan, who not only scored just one fifty in his last 10 outings but also had a horrid time in the slips cordon, is replaced by Surrey's middle-order batsman, Pope. He has had a stellar domestic season so far, racking up 684 runs in Division One - County Championship at a staggering 85.50.

His stint also includes three tons and a fifty. Not only that, the young Pope highly impressed in the pre-season North-South series, too, where he scored 110 runs in the two games he featured in.

England's National Selector, Ed Smith highly adores the young batting prodigy and believes "he is well suited to international cricket." Pope represented the England Lions in the recently-concluded four-day match against India A where he waltzed through a well-made fifty.

Notably, Pope bats as down as six for his home team Surrey. But with him replacing Malan, there is a possibility that he might be slotted in up the order and given a proper chance to construct an innings of significance.

Malan drops out with a poor run of form behind him. Since his wonderful century at Perth in Ashes 2017, the Middlesex player has struggled to contribute anything of worthy, neither with the bat nor with his catching skills.

"Dawid has not found his best rhythm this season, and it may be that his game is better suited to overseas conditions." Smith reflected over Malan's continuous struggles in hospitable, home conditions.

Woakes, on the other hand, practised with the English squad on the first day of training at Edgbaston. Team Management would be hopeful that he has recovered to his fullest from a knee injury and raring to have a go in Lord's.