Bad news for star player from Virat Kohli’s RCB, set to miss first two Tests vs Babar Azam’s Pakistan due to…

England vs Pakistan 2026 1st Test: England cricket team will begin the post-Bazball era with a three-match Test series against Babar Azam’s Pakistan beginning at Headingley at Leeds from August 19. The home team will have a new skipper in Joe Root – replacing retired Ben Stokes – and new interim head coach in Marcus Trescothick, with Stephen Fleming replacing Brendon McCullum later in the year.

The hosts will miss the services of their No. 3 batter Jacob Bethell, who has been ruled out of the first two Tests due to a knee injury. Bethell, who was retained for Rs 2.6 crore by Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2026 title-winning campaign, injured his knee during the three-match ODI series against India last month.

The injury has forced Bethell to skip The Hundred 2026 season and he is also ruled out of the first two Tests as his name didn’t feature in the 16-member squad announced by England Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday. The England selectors have recalled all-rounder Dan Lawrence while batter Jordan Cox will replace Bethell at the number three position.

Apart from these two, former vice-captain Ollie Pope and Brydon Carse are also returning to side to face Pakistan. Lawrence has been rewarded for a brilliant show in the County Championship season with Surrey, where he leads Division One with five centuries and 788 runs. He will slot in at No. 6, while his off-spin bowling will also help fill the all-rounder void following Ben Stokes retirement from international cricket last month.

Joe Root is back as captain and some familiar faces also are making their return pic.twitter.com/imQamKKjjr

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 6, 2026

The series will also mark Joe Root’s first official assignment in his second stint as England’s Test captain after quitting the job in 2022. The squad selection involved newly appointed head coach Stephen Fleming along with Marcus Trescothick, who will oversee the team as interim head coach for this series before the former assumes full charge.

Pope and pacer Brydon Carse make their returns to the Test setup for the first time since last winter’s Ashes series, while seamer Sam Cook and fast bowler Ollie Robinson have also been included.

“We have selected a squad for the first two Tests that balances rising talent with the experience needed against a quality Pakistan team. Dan Lawrence returns following an exceptional season so far with Surrey and we believe he has the right level of experience, maturity and skill to complement our middle order.

“Jordan Cox is well regarded as one of the most exciting talents in English cricket and will have the opportunity to bat at three in place of Jacob Bethell, who sadly misses this series through injury,” said Marcus North, England men’s national selector.

England squad for first two Tests against Pakistan

Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, and Josh Tongue