NEW DELHI: Captain Ben Stokes will rejoin the England Test team for the upcoming tour of Pakistan in October. The news was confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Tuesday, as they revealed a 17-member squad for the three-match series starting on October 7.
Stokes, who missed the series against Sri Lanka this month due to a hamstring injury sustained during The Hundred in August, is in the process of recovery. Zak Crawley, who has been out since July with a fractured right little finger, is also set to return.
“Zak Crawley returns to the squad after missing out since the West Indies series in July. Captain Ben Stokes is also included as he continues his recovery from a hamstring tear,” Reuters quoted ECB as saying.
Spinner Rehan Ahmed, who debuted in a Test in Karachi during England’s last tour of Pakistan in December 2022, and Jack Leach, who last played in the opening Test in India in January, are also included in the squad.
Stokes, who missed the series against Sri Lanka this month due to a hamstring injury sustained during The Hundred in August, is in the process of recovery. Zak Crawley, who has been out since July with a fractured right little finger, is also set to return.
“Zak Crawley returns to the squad after missing out since the West Indies series in July. Captain Ben Stokes is also included as he continues his recovery from a hamstring tear,” Reuters quoted ECB as saying.
Spinner Rehan Ahmed, who debuted in a Test in Karachi during England’s last tour of Pakistan in December 2022, and Jack Leach, who last played in the opening Test in India in January, are also included in the squad.
Josh Hull, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka last week, is included along with Brydon Carse and batter Jordan Cox, both uncapped.
Eight players from the victorious 2022 squad, including Rehan, Harry Brook, Crawley, Ben Duckett, Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Stokes, are part of the team.
The venues for the series are expected to be announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board later this week.