England have announced their first Test squad since the end of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, with Joe Root returning as captain and several previously overlooked players recalled for the opening two Tests of the three-match home series against Pakistan.
The 16-member squad marks the beginning of a new chapter for England’s Test side following Stokes’ retirement and McCullum’s decision to step down from the Test coaching role to focus on the national limited-overs teams.
Root, who captained England between 2017 and 2022, begins his second stint as permanent Test captain when the series opens at Headingley on August 19. Former England batter Marcus Trescothick will serve as interim head coach for the Pakistan series before Stephen Fleming officially takes charge of the Test team. While the new selection reflects a shift in leadership, England have retained several key players who flourished during the Bazball era, including Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
One of the biggest selection decisions sees Jordan Cox promoted to the No. 3 position after Jacob Bethell was ruled out of the entire series with a right knee injury sustained during England’s recent ODI series against India. Cox made his Test debut against New Zealand earlier this year, batting at No. 7, but will now occupy one of the most demanding positions in the batting order. Ollie Pope, who lost his place following England’s Ashes defeat in Australia, returns to the squad but will initially provide batting cover.
Dan Lawrence has also earned a recall after an impressive County Championship campaign for Surrey and is expected to bat at No. 6. Lawrence, who last played a Test against Sri Lanka in 2024, also offers useful off-spin, adding flexibility to the side. His return, along with the recalls of Pope and Sam Cook, indicates the new selection panel is willing to revisit players who had slipped out of England’s immediate plans rather than completely moving away from the foundations established during the Bazball era.
England continue to face the challenge of balancing batting depth with bowling resources following Stokes’ retirement as an all-rounder. Shoaib Bashir remains the team’s lead specialist spinner, while Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Matthew Fisher, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue provide a strong pace attack. National selector Marcus North said the squad combines emerging talent with experienced performers ahead of a challenging series against Pakistan. The three-match series begins at Headingley on August 19, followed by the second Test at Lord’s from August 27 and the final Test at Edgbaston in September.