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England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a 16-member squad for the first two of the upcoming 3-match home Test series against Pakistan, starting on August 19. It will be England Men’s first Test assignment after the retirement of Ben Stokes.
ECB has named an interesting set of players, with captain Joe Root and Harry Brook as his deputy. The inclusion of Dan Lawrence is one of the notable moves made by the cricket board.
Jacob Bethell ruled out of the Test series against Pakistan; Jordan Cox to bat at No.3
Jacob Bethell will miss the entire series against Pakistan because of the injury he suffered during the ODI series against India last month. In place of Bethell, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Jordan Cox, who made his Test debut earlier this summer against New Zealand at the Oval, has been named for the series.
Pakistan will travel to England for a multi-format series including a three-match Test series.
“We have selected a squad for the first two Tests that balances rising talent with the experience needed against a quality Pakistan team. Dan Lawrence returns following an exceptional season so far with Surrey, and we believe he has the right level of experience, maturity and skill to complement our middle order,” Marcus North, England Men National Selector, said in an official press release on August 6.
“Jordan Cox is well regarded as one of the most exciting talents in English cricket and will have the opportunity to bat at three in place of Jacob Bethell, who sadly misses this series through injury,” he added.
Other notable inclusions in England's Test squad for a couple of matches against Pakistan
Dan Lawrence, who played his last Test for the Three Lions on September 6, 2024, returns to the team almost a couple of year later. He has been included in the team vecause because of his recent displays in Division One of the County Championship this season. So far, in 14 Tests and 27 innings, the batter, who is set to feature at number six against Pakistan, has scored 671 runs for an average of 26.84, powered by four half-centuries.
Sam Cook, Ollie Pope, and Brydon Carse are the three other players who mark their return in England's Test set-up. Carse and Pope make their way back into the team after last winter’s Ashes Series in Australia.
Cook played for the team in 2025, for a Test match against Zimbabwe in Nottingham. He was named in the playing eleven of the match, backed by a promising domestic season, but proved very little effective as the fast bowler claimed only one wicket, conceding 119 runs.
England Men’s Test squad vs Pakistan
Joe Root (C), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
The first match between the hosts and Pakistan will be at Headingley Carnegie in Leeds, followed by the second match at Lord's in London. Edgbaston will host the third and final Test match of the contest.
