England announce playing XI for third Test against Sri Lanka, 6ft 7in tall pacer replaces Matthew Potts

Abhijeet Kumar Singh

• Wed • 04 Sep 2024

From left: England players Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes, Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Olly Stone leave the field as bad light stops play during the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's Cricket Ground on August 31. (Getty)

Highlights:

England have reveal their playing XI for third Test against Sri Lanka.

Josh Hull has been included in England's playing XI, replacing Matthew Potts.

Ollie Pope-led England has announced their playing XI for the third and final Test against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to begin on Friday, September 6, at The Oval. The Ollie Pope-led side are leading the series 2-0 riding on their wins at Old Trafford and Lord's respectively.

England reveals playing XI for 3rd Test against Sri Lanka, Josh Hull to make debut

England has made a single change to their winning team for the final Test against Sri Lanka. The 20-year-old left-arm seamer, Josh Hull, will replace Matthew Potts in the playing XI. Hull was brought into the squad to replace the injured Mark Wood.

The rest of the England team remains unchanged as they aim to complete a clean sweep of the series. Dan Lawrence will continue to open the batting despite his lackluster performances in the previous two Tests.

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Ollie Pope will also be hoping for some runs ahead of the Pakistan tour, with critics questioning his ability to balance both leadership and batting. The in-form middle-order trio of Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jamie Smith will also be keen to finish the series on a high. The pace trio of Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, and Olly Stone performed well in the last Test, and will welcome the versatility that debutant Hull will offer as a left-arm bowler. Shoaib Bashir is the only frontline spinner in the playing XI.

Talking about Josh Hull, the star left-arm seamer made his first-class debut in 2023 and has played 10 matches since then. While his numbers have not been impressive so far, with only 16 wickets at an average of 64.75, the national call-up and subsequent debut are sure to boost his confidence.

Hull's left-arm angle, combined with his tall stature of six feet seven inches, has prompted England to fast-track him into the national side.

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England's playing XI for third Test against Sri Lanka:

Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Josh Hull, and Shoaib Bashir.

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