England have called up uncapped fast bowler Brydon Carse for their three-match Test tour of Pakistan next month, with the venues still to be determined.
Carse has this season served a three-month ban for historical breaches of betting rules but seems the main beneficiary of a year-ending elbow injury to Durham team-mate and fellow speedster Mark Wood.
The South Africa-born 29-year-old, who has featured in 17 white-ball internationals for England, takes his place in a 17-strong squad alongside another player yet to make his Test bow, Jordan Cox.
However, Cox served as England’s back-up batter for the recent 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka and retains his squad place for a trip which is supposed to get under way on October 7 in Multan.
There are due to be further Tests planned in Karachi (October 15-19) and Rawalpindi (October 24-28) but renovations ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy are causing problems at the latter two venues.
It is understood one or more of the games could be moved to the United Arab Emirates or Sri Lanka, with the England and Wales Cricket Board awaiting developments.
Dan Lawrence was a makeshift opener against Sri Lanka in the injury-enforced absence of Zak Crawley but he failed to make an impression with a top-score of 35 in six innings and he has been discarded.
According to the ECB, Crawley is “making significant progress in his recovery” from a fractured right finger after being drafted in.
England captain Ben Stokes remains on course to take the reins back from Ollie Pope following a hamstring tear that kept him out of action against Sri Lanka.
Left-arm fast bowler Josh Hull has been retained while Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed – two spinners who featured in England’s historic 3-0 series whitewash over Pakistan in 2022 – are recalled.
Leach was displaced as England’s number one spinner at the start of the summer by Shoaib Bashir but the Somerset pair, plus Leicestershire’s Ahmed, form Stokes’ trio of frontline slow bowling options.
But there is no room for Lancashire slow left-armer Tom Hartley, England’s leading wicket-taker in their Test tour of India last winter.
Chris Woakes, who has not played an overseas Test since March 2022, and fellow seamer Olly Stone retain their squad berths.
England squad for three-match Test tour of Pakistan: Ben Stokes (captain), 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.