Jake Ball could be in contention for a recall to England’s Test line-up after captain Alastair Cook hinted at changes to his side’s bowling line-up.

The tourists won the first Test in Chittagong by 22 runs with the seam trio of Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes each impressing despite an unresponsive surface.

However, with a gruelling schedule of six back-to-back Tests to come this side of Christmas, Cook is keen for rotation.

"I'm pretty sure there will be some changes," said the skipper. "If we play the same side early on in the tour, we could have a lot of guys with not much cricket under their belts coming into a crucial Test a bit further down the line.

“We were clear before we came out here that we would rotate, so I'd imagine there might be a couple of changes."

Although Ball did his cause no harm with sparkling performances during the one-day international series that preceded the Test showdown, the Nottinghamshire man is not the only pace bowler waiting in the wings.

Should the captain/coach duo of Cook and Trevor Bayliss opt for a solitary alteration, Stephen Finn could equally be the man to benefit.

"It's certainly more about rotation. In an ideal world we don't want to get to India with people having not played much cricket.

“There are some fine players who didn't make this team and, with how hot it is and energy levels, to not be playing all seven Test matches will freshen things up. It's certainly more on the bowling side to start with."

The possibility of a rotated bowling unit could keep Ball’s fellow Notts paceman Stuart Broad waiting for his 100th Test cap.

However, Cook admits it’s likely that England will resist the temptation to select a fourth spinner in Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari.

"We'd have loved to have the fourth spinner when it was turning," Cook said.

"But Bangladesh are used to these conditions. They play spin very well.

"It's nice having that extra seamer for our side. When it does reverse you can keep the pressure on for longer.

“It just suits us at the moment. But, yes, there was a time when I was thinking I'd love another spinner. But you can't have everything can you?"

 

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