# Root to captain England against Pakistan as Cox and Lawrence return

2026-08-06T18:27:02+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

England have named a 16-man squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan, with Joe Root returning as permanent captain. The three-Test series begins at Headingley on August 19, followed by the second match at Lord’s from August 27. Jordan Cox will replace the injured Jacob Bethell at No. 3. Dan Lawrence returns after his first-class season with Surrey, while Ollie Pope and Brydon Carse are back after missing England’s previous Test campaign. England’s pace options include Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson. Rehan Ahmed has been left out. The squad also includes Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir.

## Coverage

- rediff.com <https://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/england-squad-for-pakistan-tests-cox-at-no3-lawrence-returns/20260806.htm>
- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/england-announce-squad-for-first-two-pakistan-tests-dan-lawrence-ollie-pope-return-article-155321725>

Tags: England cricket, Joe Root, Jordan Cox, Pakistan Tests, Test cricket
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