The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a 17-man Test squad for the upcoming tour of Pakistan in October. England will play a three-match Test series against Pakistan, starting with the first Test on October 7 in Multan. The second Test will take place in Karachi from October 15, and the third Test is scheduled for October 24 in Rawalpindi.
England captain Ben Stokes will return to the squad along with Zak Crawley, both of whom are recovering from injuries. Stokes is returning from a hamstring tear, while Crawley is recovering from a fractured right little finger.
Eight players from England's 3-0 Test series win in Pakistan in 2022 will be part of the tour. These players are Rehan Ahmed, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes.
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Jack Leach has been recalled to the squad after being sidelined since January 2024, and Rehan Ahmed, who made his Test debut in Karachi during the last tour, also returns. The squad features two uncapped players, Brydon Carse and Jordan Cox.
Dan Lawrence has been omitted from the squad following a series of disappointing performances in the recent home series against Sri Lanka, where he struggled to make an impact.
Despite initial concerns about possible venue changes due to ongoing construction work in Pakistan, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that all matches will be played in Pakistan. However, the ECB has stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has yet to confirm the final venues, with an announcement expected later this week.
England Squad for Pakistan Test Series: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
