The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has officially announced the 17-member strong England squad for the three-match Test series against the hosts Pakistan. Test captain Ben Stokes returns along with the opener Zak Crawley. The ECB has also named two uncapped players for this upcoming tour. 

Pakistan will host the three-match Test series against England from October 7. Although Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recently confirmed that Multan and Rawalpindi will host the three Tests of this forthcoming series, the ECB has also clarified that the venues are yet to be confirmed. This Test series will be a part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. 

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England Test captain Ben Stokes and opener Zak Crawley return from injuries

The 33-year-old English Test captain Ben Stokes has recovered from his hamstring injury and is ready to return to the Test squad. After the last Test against West Indies in Birmingham, Stokes was busy in The Hundred, where he sustained a hamstring injury as he was carried off.  

Meanwhile, the opener Zak Crawley was injured during the series-finale Birmingham Test against West Indies last July. He had a fracture on the right little finger, but he has made significant progress in recovery to earn the call-up in the national team. 

Both Stokes and Crawley missed the recently concluded three-match home Test series against Sri Lanka. 

Jordan Cox and Brydon Carse are the uncapped names

The 23-year-old wicketkeeper Jordan Cox and the 29-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder Brydon Carse are the uncapped among the 17-member Test squad for the upcoming Pakistan tour. 

Apart from the off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, left-arm spinner Jack Leach and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed have also been selected in this Test squad. 

Talking about the pace-bowling line-up, Stokes has the options of Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, recently Test debutant Josh Hull, Matthew Potts, and Gus Atkinson.  

It will be England’s first Test series in Asia since their 4-1 Test series defeat against the hosts India last March. 

In late 2022, England travelled to Pakistan for the first time in 17 years. In that tour, England won the three-match Test series by 3-0. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan last won a home Test in February 2021 against South Africa. Since then, they have drawn four and lost six out of their last ten home Tests. 

England’s Test squad for the upcoming Pakistan tour

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.

England opener Ben Duckett made history with the fastest fifty by an England player in Tests. He achieved this remarkable feat in just 32 balls during the 2nd Test against West Indies at Nottingham, showcasing his exceptional skill and talent.

In the 10th over, Jason Holder bowled a good length delivery. Duckett opened the face of his bat and guided it perfectly past the gully fielder for a boundary. This shot marked his 11th boundary of the innings, bringing up his fifty in style.

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, their cheers echoing throughout the stadium as they celebrated Duckett’s historic achievement.

Duckett eventually got out for 71 runs off 59 balls by Shamar Joseph in the 19th over, with England at 105 for 2. He lost his opening partner, Zak Crawley in the first over when Alzarri Joseph bowled him out for a duck after the West Indies chose to bowl first in Nottingham.

Fastest team fifties in Test cricket by overs

4.2 overs – England vs West Indies (today)

4.3 overs – England vs South Africa in 1994

4.6 overs – England vs Sri Lanka in 2002

5.2 Overs – Sri Lanka vs Pakistan in 2004

Fastest Test fifties for England by balls

28 – Ian Botham vs India, 1981

30 – Jonny Bairstow vs New Zealand, 2022

32 – Ben Duckett vs West Indies, 2024

32 – Ian Botham vs New Zealand, 1986

Zak Crawley has been the biggest question in a Bazball era that has mostly seen success. Before Stokes took captaincy, Zak Crawley had five fifties and two hundred of which one was a magnificent 267. This was in his 21 Tests before Bazball. Once Stokes came in the scoring dried up. Crawley was getting starts but he did not convert in the summer which started the new era for English Cricket. In seven Tests at home ZaK Crawley managed just one fifty and his position kept coming under the scanner outside the dressing room.

Inside the camp though, Zak Crawley’s spot was safe with the backing of the entire unit. They believed he has the capability of playing that one knock that could turn a Test, series or even a season. He proved so with his counter-attacking 122 in the first innings of a Test series in Pakistan, which led to England attacking and blazing their way to a 3-0 victory in Pakistan, allowing them to trust their ability in the subcontinent.

He did not score in the rest of the series or in the series that followed in New Zealand and could not build on his starts in the first three Tests in the Ashes. With the Ashes on the line though and knowing rain could effect the result on days four and five Zak Crawley woke up to give England their best chance of making a match and series.

He took the bowlers on, looked very good on the eye and helped England get to a 275 run lead, which would have sealed the game had rain not intervened. His knock took him to the top of the run-scoring charts in the current Ashes series highlighting the volume of starts he got, which were left unconverted. England though will be a touch gutted it didn’t come earlier. Had he played such a knock earlier, England may not have been the side praying for rain, especially after being in positions where they could have pushed for a victory in both the first and second Test.

His knock though still came at a time of immense need, giving England a lot of hope. England will hope he can continue about his aggressive ways, and maintain the fearless attitude he had in Manchester, allowing him to convert and top the run scoring charts in the current series.