Ben Stokes' side includes a single seamer and three front-line spinners as they embark on the five-Test series, which begins on Thursday (January 25)
England have selected three front-line spinners, including debutant Tom Hartley, for the first Test against India in Hyderabad starting on Thursday (January 25).
The Lancashire left-armer, who made his ODI bow in September, is joined by Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed in the playing XI.
The tourists will field just one front-line seamer in Durham's Mark Wood as James Anderson, Gus Atkinson Ollie Robinson and Chris Woakes are overlooked.
As expected, Ollie Pope - one of essentially four changes from the fifth Ashes test against Australia at the Kia Oval - returns to the XI after a shoulder injury torched his summer.
Jonny Bairstow bats at No.5 in place of Harry Brook who left the tour over the weekend, while Ben Foakes is back as wicketkeeper.
Tom Hartley, fresh from his ODI debut in September, makes his Test bow in Hyderabad (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Shoaib Bashir is unavailable having been forced to return to the UK to complete his application for an Indian visa.
Dan Lawrence joined up with the squad this week from the ILT20 but was not in contention for the first Test.
"I don't necessarily think it's bold or brave, it's just me and Baz (head coach Brendan McCullum) looking at the wicket and picking the XI that we think will give us the best chance," explained Stokes. "That's the XI we've gone with.
"It's very exciting for Tom Hartley to make his Test debut. Looking forward to seeing him out there, and captaining him. He's been very impressive in the buildup in Abu Dhabi.
"It's a team based around what we think will give us the best chance of winning this game."
Wood is the sole member of the seam attack in what will be his first Test outing in India, having not featured three years ago. The 34-year-old, one of the architects of England's Ashes comeback last summer, has 104 wickets in 31 Tests.
Wood will lead the seam attack in Hyderabad (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Stokes added: "When you go with one seamer, you look at the impact you want out of that seamer. What Woody brings with his high pace, he is a real impact bowler, if we can get the ball swinging, him bowling in 90mph with a reverse swinging ball will be very difficult to play against.
"He's a weapon we can use in short, sharp spells. We've already said that to him. Bowl as fast as you can in short periods.
"There are no worries about thinking about long spells. You never know things might change and he might have to bowl a few long spells. That's how I envision using Woody before we've bowled a ball."
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach
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