Jacob Bethell will bat at number three on his Test debut as England on Tuesday named their team for the series opener against New Zealand in Christchurch. The 21-year-old was ushered into the side for the match beginning Thursday after wicketkeeper Jordan Cox broke his right thumb during a net session. Regular number three Ollie Pope replaces Cox with the gloves and drops down to bat at six, with captain Ben Stokes at seven in the batting order. 

Bethell, who has never batted higher than number four in first-class cricket, where he averages 25.44, only made his international debut two months ago in white ball matches against Australia and the West Indies. 

Joe Root stays at number four, despite making 262 when he batted third in the first Test in Pakistan last month. 

Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and all-rounder Stokes form the pace attack on a Hagley Oval pitch that traditionally offers a greenish wicket favouring the seamers. Shoaib Bashir is the lone spinner. 

New Zealand are yet to name their starting XI but can call on the services of leading batsman Kane Williamson, who has returned after injury forced him out of the recent 3-0 Test series win in India.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes (capt), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.

Pakistan vs England Live Score 1st Test Day 3© AFP

Pakistan vs England 1st Test Day 1, Live Score Updates© AFP

Ben Stokes‘ England take on Pakistan in a three-Test series starting on Monday, buoyed by memories of an astonishing 3-0 series sweep in 2022. England, third in the world rankings after winning five of their past six Tests, are facing a Pakistan team at a low ebb after being crushed by Bangladesh. Here’s a look at some of the key talking points for the tourists ahead of the series, which starts in Multan.

Stokes factor

England last month wrapped up a 2-1 series victory against Sri Lanka without skipper Ben Stokes, but he remains the team’s undisputed leader and talisman.

The 33-year-old all-rounder misses the first Test after failing to recover from a torn hamstring and it remains to be seen whether he will bowl when he does return.

The inclusion of Stokes as a specialist batsman would alter the balance of the side England favoured in the recent Sri Lanka series, where they played five frontline bowlers.

The visitors could opt to replace one of their regular top order with the skipper but it is more likely they would play four specialist bowlers and rely on Joe Root‘s off-spin to supplement the attack.

Stokes has not played for two months but he showed his worth against the West Indies, scoring three fifties in his last four innings of the series.

Bazball Mark II?

England’s tour of Pakistan in 2022 came in the first few heady months of the “Bazball” era — a method of all-out attack encouraged by Brendon McCullum, who had become coach earlier that year.

The visitors set the tone for the series on the first day in Rawalpindi, smashing a remarkable 506-4, with four men making centuries.

After England’s 4-1 series loss in India earlier this year, McCullum spoke about the need to “refine” their style and a less gung-ho approach of controlled aggression has paid dividends.

England demolished the West Indies 3-0 before beating Sri Lanka 2-1 on home soil.

“I think the style will work in Pakistan, for sure,” retired England bowling great Stuart Broad said ahead of the launch of Inside Lord’s, Marylebone Cricket Club’s new digital platform.

“It was a great tour to Pakistan in 2022. All the players really enjoyed it and ultimately, England’s batting group are wonderful players of spin. 

“I think they’re really positive and aggressive, they can find the boundary and don’t get tied down by spin.

“England will have to play fast-paced cricket to force results over there because you generally do need five days to make something happen.”

Inexperienced attack

The era of Broad and James Anderson is over for England, who are trying to build a new pace attack that can take the fight to India and Australia next year.

Chris Woakes is the senior paceman and enjoyed a superb summer at home but his figures in overseas Tests are poor, while express bowler Mark Wood is out of action.

Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson has enjoyed a remarkable start to his Test career, taking 34 wickets in his first six games. 

But he, Matthew Potts and Olly Stone have just 19 caps between them and Brydon Carse will make his debut in Multan.

Aside from left-armer Jack Leach, who is back in the fold after being deemed surplus to requirements during the English season, the spin attack is also inexperienced.

Leach’s Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir has played just nine Tests while Rehan Ahmed has not featured since the India series, having made his debut in England’s memorable 2022 series win in Pakistan.

Broad warns that inexperience could cost the visitors.

“It’s very difficult to go into a Test match, particularly when Ben Stokes isn’t playing or not bowling with three very inexperienced bowlers because if it goes wrong and the spinner’s inexperienced you could lose a Test match in an hour,” he said.

Ben Stokes is still a doubtful starter for the side’s first Test against Pakistan.© AFP

England Test captain Ben Stokes was carried off the field on Sunday while playing for Hundred outfit Northern Superchargers. All-rounder Stokes, 33, suffered an apparent hamstring injury in their match in Manchester and was accompanied into the stands by two Superchargers staff members. He grabbed the back of his left leg while in pain on the floor having hit a quick single. England begin the first of their three-match Test series with Sri Lanka on August 21, at the same Old Trafford ground.

Meanwhile, England opener Zak Crawley has been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series against Sri Lanka due to a broken finger.

Crawley has been ruled out after he fractured the little finger on his right hand while attempting to take a catch during the recent third Test victory over the West Indies.

The 26-year-old will switch his attention to being fit for England’s tour of Pakistan in October.

Ben Stokes had to be carried from the field after suffering an injury playing for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred

pic.twitter.com/KZATTvFnHH

— England’s Barmy Army(@TheBarmyArmy) August 11, 2024

With Crawley sidelined, Dan Lawrence is set to open alongside Ben Duckett.

Lawrence has been included in several England squads but has not played a Test since 2022. 

The 27-year-old moved from Essex to Surrey over the winter and has made an impressive start to the County Championship season, averaging 53.09 at a strike rate of 74.68 with two centuries and three fifties.

England made a number of changes to their side ahead of the West Indies series, handing Test debuts to Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith, and there is now a first call-up for Essex batsman Jordan Cox.

The 23-year-old has been involved in the England set-up previously after joining the white-ball tour of Pakistan in 2022 and will be looking to make his international bow against Sri Lanka.

Uncapped seamer Dillon Pennington, who was in the squad for the 3-0 series win over the West Indies, joins Crawley on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.

Pennington is likely to be sidelined for the rest of the English summer.

Nottinghamshire seam bowler Olly Stone returns to the Test squad for the first time since 2021 and will be hoping to add to his three Test caps.

The first Test against Sri Lanka starts at Old Trafford on August 21, with the second match at Lord’s and the third at The Oval.

England squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka: 

Ben Stokes (capt), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

From an unbeaten 501 in a County match, to 400 not out in a single innings of a Test match, Brian Lara pulled off some incredible records during his playing career. Lara broke the record for must runs by a batter in a single innings of Test match not once, but twice. In 1994, he overtook compatriot Gary Sobers’ 365 and scored 375 against England at St. John’s. The record was broken 10 years later when Matthew Hayden smashed 385 against Zimbabwe.

However, Lara didn’t let it slide this time as he smashed an unbeaten 400 against England at the same venue where he overtook Sobers in the first place. 

Now, 20 years down the road, Lara’s record still remains intact. In fact, the last batter to even cross 350 was Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, who scored 374 against South Africa in 2006.

However, Lara admitted that a few players from the current generation are capable enough to break his record. Lara picked two players each from England and India that can surpass his momentous feat.

“There were players in my time who challenged, or at least went past the 300 mark – Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya. They were pretty much aggressive players,” Lara told The Daily Mail.

“How many aggressive players do you have playing today? Especially in the England team. Zak Crawley and Harry Brook. Maybe in the Indian team? Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill. If they find the right situation, the records could be broken – both of them,” he added.

Speaking on what inspired him to break the record twice, Lara suggested: “I fell in love with being that spectacle, reducing the opposition’s options, seeing them pretty much flat. I made that my forte – when I knew a team was down, I wasn’t going to give it away. I was going to take advantage of the situation. That was 375, 400, 501. It was very similar attitude to that of West Indies’ great bowlers. When you have a red ball in your hand and are bowling at 90 miles an hour, you know guys are going to be scared.” 

James Anderson may be retiring after the first Test between England and West Indies, but he reminded everyone that class is permanent on Day 2 of the match. Anderson came back to bowl after England achieved a 250-run lead in the first innings. Opening the bowling, Anderson struck first, sending back West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite with a superb inswinger. Having claimed only one wicket in the first innings, Anderson produced the special delivery he’d been searching to cap off an incredible Test career.

Watch: Anderson knocks over Brathwaite with unplayable delivery

Jimmy Anderson, there are no words pic.twitter.com/bBRCS1uykD

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 11, 2024

Bowling the ninth over of the West Indies second innings, Anderson’s ball dipped low and swung back in towards the right-handed Brathwaite, who was completely foxed. It was Anderson’s 702nd Test wicket.

“Top class from James Anderson. Finally, the good bowlers will find a way through,” remarked Ian Bishop from the commentary box.

Anderson would strike again later in the day, picking up his 703rd wicket by dismissing Alick Athanaze. West Indies ended Day 2 on 79/6, staring at an innings defeat.

However, with only four more wickets left, Anderson cannot touch Shane Warne‘s tally of 708 Test wickets, and eclipse him to become the second-highest Test wicket-taker. Muttiah Muralidharan still maintains the lead at 800 Test scalps.

Atkinson steals the show in Anderson’s farewell game

As Anderson prepared to bid goodbye, another pacer saying hello to the world of Test cricket took the England-West Indies game by storm. 26-year-old pacer Gus Atkinson – making his debut – ran through the West Indies batting, picking up seven wickets in the first innings.

Atkinson’s remarkable debut helped England bundle out the Windies for a paltry 121. In reply, England put up 371, courtesy of half-centuries from Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and another debutant Jamie Smith.

Atkinson had been picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2024, but did not play a game and eventually withdrew from the squad.