Following on from their 3-1 series win over South Africa, England’s next Test assignment will come in much different conditions when they head to the subcontinent to contest a two-Test series. The balance of England’s attack, which seamers should draw the short straw and have to make the journey on a potentially thankless tour, and whether batsmen should be considered as specialist picks have all been hot topics for discussion.

Wisden writers Phil Walker, Jo Harman, James Wallace, Ben Gardner, Taha Hashim and Yas Rana pick out who they think should make England’s Test squad for Sri Lanka:

Phil Walker, Wisden Cricket Monthly editor-in-chief

1.    Zak Crawley
2.    Dom Sibley
3.    Joe Denly
4.    Joe Root (c)
5.    Ben Stokes
6.    Ollie Pope
7.    Jos Buttler (wk)
8.   Chris Woakes
9.   Dom Bess
10. Mark Wood
11.  Jack Leach

12. Jonny Bairstow
13. Sam Curran
14. Ben Foakes
15. Dan Lawrence

I found this latest thankless task quite tricky. I guess the biggish thing is deciding to leave Anderson and Broad at home. Despite appearances, careers are finite, and they’re too important for the tussles to come – plus Broad has three wickets in Sri Lanka at 83 and while Jimmy has 12 from six games, he was a bystander last time out, with one wicket from two Tests. I’d definitely go with Wood – pace through the air could be crucial – while Chris Woakes and Sam Curran can duke it out for the not especially coveted ‘second seamer at No.8′ slot; I’d lean towards Woakes as the more reliable bowler.

Jimmy says he’ll be fit so I think you have to trust him; he’ll relish getting some overs under his belt in tough conditions for seamers. I’m going to throw Adil Rashid in the mix: I want the Class of 2018 back together. Root’s increasingly proficient twiddles and Denly’s ‘dutty’ leggies will all help in the quest for 20 wickets. Chris Woakes’ batting is good enough to see him in as my back-up batsman.

Ben Gardner, wisden.com staff writer

1.   Dom Sibley
2.   Zak Crawley
3.   Joe Denly
4.   Joe Root (c)
5.   Ben Stokes
6.   Ollie Pope
7.   Ben Foakes (wk)
8.   Sam Curran
9.   Dom Bess
10. Jack Leach
11.  Mark Wood

12.  Jonny Bairstow
13.  Chris Woakes
14.  Matt Parkinson
15.  Sam Hain

I’m not sure what the rest of the panel are complaining about – I’d be comfortable with just my top 14 travelling, since Sam Hain will mostly be there to watch and learn. The trickiest question is Jonny Bairstow or Jos Buttler, but while the latter looks like he needs a rest and will probably never bat above No.5 in Test cricket, the former, in Sri Lanka at least, can bat anywhere from No.3 down, and needs far more than a rest to correct his flaws against the straight stuff – whether two weeks in the off season are spent in the subcontinent or elsewhere won’t make much difference to his long-term Test prospects either way.

Stuart Broad and James Anderson should save the overs left in them for the times when they’ll be the main men rather than spare parts. Chris Woakes and Sam Curran’s skills with the bat make them more valuable in Sri Lankan conditions, while Mark Wood’s skiddy pace can break the game open anywhere.

England must pull out all the stops for Moeen Ali, who took 18 wickets in the 2018 series between the two sides, to make a Test return. Here’s hoping Jack Leach is feeling better, with Dom Bess the third spinner. Depending on conditions, he’ll be fighting out for a place as a controlling force in England’s attack. Stuart Broad and James Anderson have been wrapped up for the summer. Saqib Mahmood is the first man on the plane if a seamer picks up an injury.