Liam Dawson returns to Tests after 8 years – What happened in his last appearance in 2017?

Liam Dawson has replaced Shoaib Bashir in England's playing XI for the fourth Test at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, which began on Wednesday, July 23. Bashir injured his left hand while trying to take a catch to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja in India's first innings at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

Dawson is playing his first Test match since 2017. His previous appearance in the longest format of the game was against South Africa at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. He bowled just seven overs in the first innings and 11 in the second. The left-arm spinner picked up a solitary wicket. Dawson registered scores of 13 and 5* with the bat. The Proteas won the match by 340 runs.

The Swindon-born lost his place in the side after playing three Tests and picking up seven wickets at an average of 42.57. Dawson continued working hard in the County circuit. In 212 first-class games, he has picked up 371 wickets at an average of 31.54 and a strike rate of 66.20. The 35-year-old has 15 five-wicket hauls to his name.

Dawson is also no mug with the bat, as he has scored 10,731 runs in red-ball cricket at an average of 35.29. He also has 56 fifties and 18 centuries in his first-class career.

Recent form and dawn of new hope

In the last two-and-a-half County Championship seasons for Hampshire, Dawson is averaging 47.59 with the bat and 25.63 with the ball. Interestingly, last year, Dawson admitted that Test cricket was "completely off the radar" for him, mentioning that he was at peace with the likely end of his international career. However, now he is back in the Test squad and seems to be in line to play a significant role in the T20 World Cup next year, which will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka.

England have a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series against India. A win in Manchester will help them take an unassailable lead in the series, with the last Test scheduled to be played in London.