England Recalls Pope, Lawrence for Pakistan Tests as Bethell Sidelined by Injury

England has named a 16-player squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan, recalling Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence following strong domestic performances in the County Championship. The squad announcement on 6 August marks England's first Test team selection following the retirement of captain Ben Stokes and the departure of head coach Brendon McCullum.

Jacob Bethell will miss the entire three-match series after sustaining a right knee injury during the ODI series against India in July. Jordan Cox, who made his Test debut against New Zealand in June, will be promoted to bat at number three in Bethell's absence. Lawrence, the second-highest run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship with 788 runs at an average of 65.66 including five centuries, returns to the squad after his last Test appearance in September 2024 against Sri Lanka. He will bat at number six. Pope, who was dropped during the Ashes series in Australia after averaging 20.83, has scored 510 runs at 56.66 for Surrey in domestic cricket this season.

Joe Root will captain the team for the first time since his reappointment in July. Marcus Trescothick will serve as interim head coach, with new permanent head coach Stephen Fleming set to begin his tenure against South Africa in December. Stephen Fleming was involved in squad discussions despite not yet formally taking the role. The series begins at Headingley on 19 August, with matches also scheduled at Lord's and Edgbaston.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse and seamer Sam Cook also return to the squad. Carse missed the summer following a broken wrist sustained during the IPL, while Cook returns after making his international debut against Zimbabwe in May 2025. England national selector Marcus North stated that the squad balances rising talent with experience needed against Pakistan. Notable omissions include Sam Curran and Rehan Ahmed, both of whom had been considered as potential replacements for Stokes in the all-rounder role, though North indicated Curran had accumulated heavy workload and injury niggles during the summer.

The squad announcement comes as England seeks to rebuild following a 2-1 Test series defeat to New Zealand and has won only one Test series since December 2024. The squad includes six fast bowlers: Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Fisher, Ollie Robinson, Brydon Carse, and Sam Cook, alongside spinner Shoaib Bashir, who was retained despite Dan Lawrence's selection also providing off-spin bowling options.