England women call on Knight

Sarah Taylor will play no part in the remainder of the India tour after suffering a hip injury. Heather Knight will provide cover

The England and Wales Cricket Board today announced that Devon’s Heather Knight will be joining the England women’s squad in India, for the rest of the one-day and Twenty20 tour.

Knight has been called up after Sarah Taylor had to pull out of the tour due to a hip injury sustained whilst keeping wicket in the first ODI.

Taylor will return to England with immediate effect to continue treatment and rehabilitation, before commencing her pre-season training with England and Sussex.

Knight, the 18-year-old women’s County Championship leading run-scorer and England women’s Academy player, is an exciting prospect for England. She is an attacking batsman who has progressed strongly through the ranks of the Academy.

ECB head of England women’s cricket Clare Connor said: “The injury to Sarah Taylor is an obvious blow. She was England's leading run-scorer against Australia last summer and she is a formidable presence behind the stumps.

“However, this gives us an opportunity to test other players: Kent’s Tammy Beaumont will take the wicket-keeping gloves and Heather Knight will join the tour party as an extra batter.

“Heather is a talented cricketer who scores huge runs at county level and I’m sure she will seize this chance to impress.”

Alongside some experienced England players, Knight will join fellow Academy graduates Anya Shrubsole, Danielle Hazell and Danielle Wyatt on the rest of the tour to Visakhapatnam and Mumbai.