Cricket-Stokes returns to England squad for Pakistan test tour

(Reuters) – Captain Ben Stokes will return to the England test side after missing this month’s series victory against Sri Lanka, the country’s cricket board (ECB) said on Tuesday after they announced a 17-member squad for October’s tour of Pakistan.

Stokes, who sustained a hamstring tear in English domestic tournament The Hundred last month, is continuing his recovery along with Zak Crawley who fractured his right little finger at Edgbaston in July.

England will tour Pakistan for a three-match series starting from Oct. 7.

“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,” ECB said in a statement.

Spinner Rehan Ahmed, who made his red-ball debut in Karachi during the last Pakistan tour in December 2022, returns to the squad with counterpart Jack Leach who will feature for the first time since the opening test in India in January this year.

The 20-year-old Josh Hull, who made his test debut in the third test against Sri Lanka on Friday, is also included in the squad along with the uncapped duo of Brydon Carse and batter Jordan Cox.

England have added eight players from the 2022 squad – Rehan, Harry Brook, Crawley, Ben Duckett, Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Stokes – who had won the last test series 3-0 against Pakistan.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is expected to announce the venues for the series later this week.

England men’s test squad:

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, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)