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Root, Stokes backs Jennings to respond

Allrounder says weight of runs at county level means his Durham teammate is good enough to bounce back

Allrounder Ben Stokes has backed opening batsman Keaton Jennings to return to form after his dumping from England's squad to face the West Indies in next week's day-night Test at Edgbaston.

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The 25-year-old Jennings managed just 127 runs in eight innings during England's 3-1 series win over South Africa. He was replaced by Mark Stoneman in the 13-man squad to face the Windies from Thursday in Birmingham.

"He hasn't had the best of series. He would have known that and been disappointed," Stokes, his teammate at Durham, told Sky Sports.

"From the amount of runs he has got over the last two seasons playing for Durham, and getting 100 in his first England innings, he knows that he can do it."

Left-hander Jennings scored 112 on his Test debut last December in India and followed it up with a half-century in the next Test against the world's top-ranked side.

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But he has failed to show the same level of consistency since, with 48 his highest score in the four-Test home series against South Africa.

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Skipper Joe Root said a weight of runs at domestic level was a clear path back into the Test side for Jennings.

"It’s pretty obvious what Keaton needs to do; go get a volume of runs, go back to the County Championship and show everyone what a great player he is," Root told Sky Sports.

"I have no doubt that he will be able to do that.

"He’s a great character and was a big part of our dressing room to beat South Africa."

Surrey batsman Stoneman is set to debut at Edgbaston and the 30-year-old will become former captain Alastair Cook's 12th opening partner since the 2012 retirement of Andrew Strauss.

England also called up Hampshire and one-time NSW legspinner Mason Crane for the first time in the longest format after the 20-year-old's June Twenty20 international debut.

Paceman Chris Woakes has recovered fully from the side strain suffered during the Champions Trophy and returns to the squad in place of Steven Finn.

England will host the West Indies for three Tests followed by a one-off T20 and a four-match one-day series.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Dawid Malan, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Chris Woakes.