# England recall Lawrence, Pope and Cook for Pakistan Tests

2026-08-06T11:21:43+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

England have named a 16-member squad for the first two Tests of their three-match series against Pakistan, beginning at Headingley on August 19. Joe Root will captain the side, with Marcus Trescothick serving as interim coach. Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Sam Cook and Jordan Cox return to the Test squad. Jacob Bethell is unavailable after a right knee injury. Lawrence is expected to bat at No. 6, while Cox could play at first drop. Brydon Carse also returns after missing England’s series against New Zealand with a hand injury. England are reshaping their team after Ben Stokes retired and have not won a Test series since December 2024. The squad includes Shoaib Bashir as the main spin option.

## Coverage

- thehindu.com <https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/england-recall-lawrence-carse-pope-cook-for-pakistan-tests-with-bethell-ruled-out/article71313059.ece>
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/england-recall-cook-ollie-pope-for-pakistan-series-as-post-bazball-era-begins-under-joe-root/articleshow/132996461.cms>

Tags: Ben Stokes, Cricket, Dan Lawrence, England, Pakistan Tests
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