JACK Leach is part of a 16-strong squad named by the England selectors for the first and second Test matches against India next month.

The Somerset spin bowler helped England defeat Sri Lanka this week, and has retained his place for the second Test in Galle, which begins tomorrow.

Now Leach has been given the opportunity to test himself against India, as one of three spinners in the squad.

Dom Bess - who left Somerset for Yorkshire ahead of the 2021 season - is also in contention, as is Moeen Ali, despite him missing the Sri Lanka tests after testing positive for Covid-19.

Jofra Archer, Rory Burns and Ben Stokes return to the England squad to face India, while Ollie Pope will travel to India and be added to the squad when passed fit, following his shoulder injury sustained during the Test series with Pakistan last September.

Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood - who are in Sri Lanka - are to be rested for the first and second Tests in India, while Somerset all-rounder Craig Overton will return home after the Sri Lanka series, having travelled there as a reserve.

England men's Test squad: Joe Root (Yorkshire) (captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

Reserves: James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Amar Virdi (Surrey).

The first Test is to run from February 5-9, followed by the second Test on February 13-17, with both matches taking place at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The third and fourth Tests, both at Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad, will be played on February 24-28 and March 4-8.

The four Test matches will be followed by five T20 fixtures (March 12-20) and three One-Day games (March 23-28).