With Mark Wood, who played the first two Tests, not guaranteed of overcoming an ankle injury for the match starting on Thursday, selectors have decided to give themselves more flexibility, in case Wood is unavailable, by replacing Anderson in the squad with two players: Liam Plunkett and Mark Footitt.

In doing so they have overlooked the player reputed to be the obvious like-for-like replacement for swing-bowler Anderson, Chris Woakes, who was invited to train with the squad before the third Test at Edgbaston.

They are the only changes to the squad, with struggling opening batsman Adam Lyth retained. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid also kept his place, although the expected pace-friendly conditions are likely to preclude him from selection consideration.

Plunkett, a 30-year-old right-armer, has not played a Test for just over a year, although he featured in England's limited-overs series against New Zealand which preceded the Ashes.

Footitt is a 29-year-old who made his first-class debut a decade ago. While he is yet to play for England in any format he is reputed to have genuine pace, which the Australians would have been exposed to had he not been withdrawn from Derbyshire's team for their recent tour match against Australia.

In the immediate aftermath of England's emphatic eight-wicket victory at Edgbaston their new coach Trevor Bayliss said he expected his replacement would "probably" come from within the squad, seemingly in reference to Wood and Woakes. But given his lack of knowledge of players beyond the England squad, a byproduct of the Australian having only begun as coach about a month ago, selectors have evidently decided Plunkett and Footitt are worthy of consideration, especially if Wood does not recover in time.

"'Woody' [Mark Wood], we're still not really sure of at the moment. He is improving each day, so hopefully he's right for Trent Bridge - but there's one or two other guys who've been mentioned in dispatches around the squad since I've been here," Bayliss said. "Those guys will be spoken about and get the first opportunity if needed."

England's chief selector James Whitaker confirmed that while they were optimistic Wood would be available for Trent Bridge that concerns over his workload - his body has not been reputed for its durability - had prompted the elevations of Plunkett, who plays under Australian Jason Gillespie at Yorkshire, and Footitt.

Footitt is equal fifth on the county wickets tally this season, with 50 wickets at 23.64 from his 11 matches. Plunkett has played only two matches, across which he has taken 5 wickets at 37.6.

Wood is the only one of the three to have a county bowling average of below 30 at Trent Bridge, having taken 13 wickets at 22.53 in three matches. Two of Plunkett's 13 Test have been in Nottingham. Across both, against Sri Lanka in 2006 and India last year, he has seven wickets at 39.14.

ENGLAND (from): Alastair Cook (c), Joe Root (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steve Finn, Mark Footitt, Adam Lyth, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood.