England Cricket Board (ECB) announced their playing XI for the first Test match against Sri Lanka. Speedster Matthew Potts made his comeback in the England squad and the right-handed batter, Harry Brook has been named vice-captain in the series which sees Ollie Pope as the stand-in skipper in Ben Stokes’ absence. The first Test match between England and Sri Lanka will take place on August 21 and is scheduled to take place at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Matthew Potts has earned a recall to the England Test side for the series opener against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford. The Durham seamer, whose last Test appearance came against Ireland in June 2023, has been preferred over Olly Stone and Jordan Cox. His inclusion comes as a result of Ben Stokes' hamstring injury, which will keep the England captain sidelined for the rest of the summer.
England's batting order has undergone a significant reshuffle due to injuries and team selection. With Matthew Potts slotting in at number nine, the team will have four fast-bowling options to compensate for Ben Stokes' absence. As a result, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, and Gus Atkinson will bat at six, seven, and eight respectively.
Meanwhile, the opening pair will see a new look, with Dan Lawrence replacing the injured Zak Crawley. Lawrence, who hasn't opened in Test cricket before, will partner Ben Duckett at the top of the order.
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England's playing XI against Sri Lanka
Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir
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