England release two cricketers after Day 1 of 1st Test

India vs England first Test match: Moeen Ali and James Porter have been released from the England Test squad and they are now free to participate in this week's T20 Blast matches for Worcestershire and Essex respectively, according to reports.

Sticking to their stance of not holding back players who are not a part of the playing XI, England released Moeen Ali and James Porter after Day 1 of the first England-India Test match at Birmingham.

Ali will join Worcestershire and Porter will strengthen the Essex squad for this week’s T20 Blast matches.

Moeen will play in two back-to-back games -- against Durham at home on August 3 and away to Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on August 4. Porter will also be available for two consecutive games - against Kent at Canterbury tomorrow and at Taunton against Somerset on Friday.

The two players were initially named in England's 13-man squad for the opening game of the five-match Test series against India at Edgbaston.

England confirmed their playing XI on the eve of the game, leaving out off-spinner Moeen Ali in favour of wrist-spinner Adil Rashid, whose surprise selection in the Test squad has sparked a raging debate.

Meanwhile, Porter, who took three wickets against India in their only warm-up game ahead of the series, will have to wait longer to make his Test debut.

Seeing the outcome of the first day’s play, a change in England’s line-up cannot be ruled out going forward into the Test series. India enjoyed the upper hand, picking up six wickets in the last session to reduce the hosts 285 for 9 after they opted to bat first. Ravichandran Ashwin became picked up four wickets for 60 runs in 25 overs.