Mason Crane should wait out the Lord's Test against WI: Sir Ian Botham

England may have named an unchanged squad for what is now a series decider against West Indies at Lord’s next week but they have also made it clear that they are keen to explore the possibility of handing leg-spinner Mason Crane a Test debut in that match ahead of the Ashes this winter.

Had Joe Root-led England followed up their innings victory in the first Test at Edgbaston with another in the second at Headingley then Crane’s debut at Lord’s would have been certain. However, they slipped to their first home Test defeat against West Indies in 17 years in a thrilling five-day contest in Leeds to ensure the final match of the series will now have everything riding on it.

Crane impressed during his T20I debut in Cardiff in June, where he kept his composure amidst a brutal onslaught from AB de Villiers and ended up taking his wicket. As a result, coach Trevor Bayliss believes the youngster could prove a potent attacking option.

On the other hand, Sir Ian Botham believes that Mason Crane would be better off not being selected in the third Test against West Indies at Lord’s. He suggests that the 20-year-old Hampshire leg-spinner should wait for his Test debut until the Ashes.

Lord’s Test, one to miss?

“If I were Mason, I wouldn’t want to be in that final Test, I’d just wait to get on the Ashes tour to Australia,” Botham, 61, told BBC Radio Solent. “Mason’s young and leg spin is quite an art. Only Abdul Qadir and Shane Warne have really mastered it at Test level in recent times. I’m all for youngsters coming through and I think the best experience is being around the best players,” the legend added.

“Lord’s is probably not the pitch to suit him, so it’s probably one to miss,” he concluded.